Uploaded February 2019 | Updated September 2026, 11 minutes ago
Describing Chiasm's music is a very hard thing to do, because her albums and EP's are eclectic and strange to the point of shifting in style in most albums. But describing the feeling of her music is perhaps even harder, from the sheer complexity of the emotion she places into each note and track. In Hiding, released on the 8th of Febuary of this year, is no exception, but perhaps is even harder to describe - The swath of lonely, yet warm melodies arranged over a submurged, drowning vocal performance that only adds to the loneliness in the tone and delivery of its lyrical content, is frankly profound. But I will try my best to deliver a brief analysis of this album without descending into pretension.
If there was a concept to describe In Hiding, sonically and emotionally, it would be its own title. In Hiding sounds like music that a shut-in would make, in a good way - It feels like the vision of someone, a digital Rapunzel whom looms over a balcony from an apartment complex that scrapes into the skies, gazing down at the neon streets below. Lonely, sheltered, confused and vicarious, the image of a dingy, exhaustingly messy apartment fills my mind as I listen to this album, and while I know little of Rohn's personal life, I believe that this was likely intentional, or at least that this was an aspect of her thoughts as she made the EP.
The album's songs flow like water in a stream. The opener of the album, a remix of the song "The Puzzle" coming on her full length coming out in a month (solved by Coldkill, mind!), is a perfect example of the strange, almost noir-esque cyberpunk air of lonesomeness. I've been skeptical of remixes in the past, but COP International is a record label that one shouldn't underestimate. Besides, this is essentially a preview of the track - And boy, what a track it is. How much is originally composed by Coldkill is unknown to me, but however much this song is of either musician, they did a stellar job, and this is only a preview of what the full album will offer to us.
Going on through the album, there's almost an irreverant quality of nostalgia and otherworldliness to it. Less an occult feeling, and more a sensation of progressing into a future realm, into a world away in space - Yet still trapped in a lonely, cold room. Yet perhaps that is what the real world is like for those that have not seen it in some time - After you have been in hiding, to be free is like nothing else...
Like always, the lyrical content is on point on In Hiding, tightly woven nets of lyrical and melodic silk trapping the listener within the realm Chiasm has created in her musical space, forcing them to question the same things she questions, wonder the same things she wonders. A dark, yet warm vibe of nostalgia reverberates through the music that Chiasm has produced for this EP, which provides grounding to the musical and lyrical themes of being forgotten, of leaving the wavering living plane and of hiding from these things - Shutting yourself away.
Instrumentally, In Hiding makes use of a lot of electronics, which... Well, it's electronic music, it makes sense. After You is of note to me, its pad-laden background and the poppy, clicky drumwork, and its dream-like main synth - Making it one of my favourites on the EP.
I could probably gush forever about how good this album is, and how much I love it - Considering that it's only a day old. But, let's think about it this way; It's literally just a teaser for a bigger album coming next month. So, how will she be able to top this? Of course it's not better than one of her albums, but will we see even better than this? Because this is some of the best work Chiasm has put out - Though obviously with the help of two other exceedingly talented musicians, John Fryer of NiN fame and Coldkill who has worked with Chiasm before - But will Reset be able to top this? To be honest, I think it'll blow this out of the water.
As for In Hiding, this is definately worth your attention. If you are a fan of Chiasm, of electronic music in general, industrial, or just want a really chilled out, yet dark listen to soothe your loneliness with its own, In Hiding is quite bluntly an exceptional listen.
Favorite track: Locked In reMix by John Fryer.
Buy Chiasm's EP "In Hiding" here!
copinternational.bandcamp.com/album/in-hiding
I DO NOT OWN CHIASM OR ANY OF THE MUSIC I FEATURE ON MY CHANNEL. THIS MUSIC IS SUBJECT TO CHIASM'S COPYRIGHT AND WILL BE REMOVED UPON REQUEST!
Describing Chiasm's music is a very hard thing to do, because her albums and EP's are eclectic and strange to the point of shifting in style in most albums. But describing the feeling of her music is perhaps even harder, from the sheer complexity of the emotion she places into each note and track. In Hiding, released on the 8th of Febuary of this year, is no exception, but perhaps is even harder to describe - The swath of lonely, yet warm melodies arranged over a submurged, drowning vocal performance that only adds to the loneliness in the tone and delivery of its lyrical content, is frankly profound. But I will try my best to deliver a brief analysis of this album without descending into pretension.
If there was a concept to describe In Hiding, sonically and emotionally, it would be its own title. In Hiding sounds like music that a shut-in would make, in a good way - It feels like the vision of someone, a digital Rapunzel whom looms over a balcony from an apartment complex that scrapes into the skies, gazing down at the neon streets below. Lonely, sheltered, confused and vicarious, the image of a dingy, exhaustingly messy apartment fills my mind as I listen to this album, and while I know little of Rohn's personal life, I believe that this was likely intentional, or at least that this was an aspect of her thoughts as she made the EP.
The album's songs flow like water in a stream. The opener of the album, a remix of the song "The Puzzle" coming on her full length coming out in a month (solved by Coldkill, mind!), is a perfect example of the strange, almost noir-esque cyberpunk air of lonesomeness. I've been skeptical of remixes in the past, but COP International is a record label that one shouldn't underestimate. Besides, this is essentially a preview of the track - And boy, what a track it is. How much is originally composed by Coldkill is unknown to me, but however much this song is of either musician, they did a stellar job, and this is only a preview of what the full album will offer to us.
Going on through the album, there's almost an irreverant quality of nostalgia and otherworldliness to it. Less an occult feeling, and more a sensation of progressing into a future realm, into a world away in space - Yet still trapped in a lonely, cold room. Yet perhaps that is what the real world is like for those that have not seen it in some time - After you have been in hiding, to be free is like nothing else...
Like always, the lyrical content is on point on In Hiding, tightly woven nets of lyrical and melodic silk trapping the listener within the realm Chiasm has created in her musical space, forcing them to question the same things she questions, wonder the same things she wonders. A dark, yet warm vibe of nostalgia reverberates through the music that Chiasm has produced for this EP, which provides grounding to the musical and lyrical themes of being forgotten, of leaving the wavering living plane and of hiding from these things - Shutting yourself away.
Instrumentally, In Hiding makes use of a lot of electronics, which... Well, it's electronic music, it makes sense. After You is of note to me, its pad-laden background and the poppy, clicky drumwork, and its dream-like main synth - Making it one of my favourites on the EP.
I could probably gush forever about how good this album is, and how much I love it - Considering that it's only a day old. But, let's think about it this way; It's literally just a teaser for a bigger album coming next month. So, how will she be able to top this? Of course it's not better than one of her albums, but will we see even better than this? Because this is some of the best work Chiasm has put out - Though obviously with the help of two other exceedingly talented musicians, John Fryer of NiN fame and Coldkill who has worked with Chiasm before - But will Reset be able to top this? To be honest, I think it'll blow this out of the water.
As for In Hiding, this is definately worth your attention. If you are a fan of Chiasm, of electronic music in general, industrial, or just want a really chilled out, yet dark listen to soothe your loneliness with its own, In Hiding is quite bluntly an exceptional listen.
Favorite track: Locked In reMix by John Fryer.
Buy Chiasm's EP "In Hiding" here!
copinternational.bandcamp.com/album/in-hiding
I DO NOT OWN CHIASM OR ANY OF THE MUSIC I FEATURE ON MY CHANNEL. THIS MUSIC IS SUBJECT TO CHIASM'S COPYRIGHT AND WILL BE REMOVED UPON REQUEST!
