Emerging Atlanta-based producer Makeup (a.k.a. Arkia Jahani) develops a dour, emotionally heavy aesthetic throughout his recent Divine Fashion EP, a six-track offering with qualities reminiscent of Tri Angle mainstay Holy Other. From that free digital release, “Vessels as Shadows” is a haunting progression rife with thick reverb and anguished chants resonating alongside patterns of high-pitched pulses. As the individual layers culminate, Makeup’s controlled production weaves the multiple vocal, synth, and bass layers into a well-orchestrated arrangement, evoking a meticulously crafted outpouring of emotion in its final moments. Jahani also teamed up with Alex Zhuravlov to co-direct a visual companion for the track, which is said to follow themes related to “limitations of personal identity and gender” in a dark and mesmerizing display of choreography. The piece enhances “Vessels as Shadows”‘s overwhelming sense of impassioned agony and can be viewed after the jump.

Vessels As Shadows