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Review: Salt In My Eyes by Telamonia

The Columbus, Ohio based rapper and producer Telamonia has up until recently been known as Insxmnia and since 2018 has released a number of forward-thinking and somewhat eclectic tracks. But with a new moniker presumably comes an artistic refreshment, and with the huge wave of invention that is still spreading through trap, there is plenty of space for Telamonia to find this regeneration. The completely self-produced new track Salt In My Eyes sees Telamonia exploring some of the deepest and darkest chasms of the psychedelic trap sound, and it makes for a fascinating and wonderfully unsettling listen.

Whilst it seems that some inspiration has come from the wealth of newer artists playing with the more hazy and psychedelic cloud rap sounds such as Playboi Carti, Trippie Red and Travis Scott, there is also an intricacy to the production that is reminiscent of innovative producers like Clams Casino and Flying Lotus. There's even elements that remind me of the twisted sounds of Tyler, The Creator and Earl Sweatshirt, and despite it's relatively calm tones this is certainly not a hip-hop track that can easily be ignored.

There is a overarching melodic synth lead that occasionally drifts out of the track before re-appearing, fading in like the quantum particle, it's absence sometimes having more impact than it's presence. The beats are insistent but not overbearing, and the conglomeration of weird sounds and samples build up as the track goes forth. In the middle section the track slithers around itself; the beat slows down and knocks itself out of time, the vocals slowly shift pitches and the melodies fall off into the abstract. The whole production has a disquieting but rather mesmeric quality.

For the most part the vocals are buried deep in the mix to the point where they are almost inaudible at times. Far from being a production fault though, this is clearly a deliberate measure designed to draw you in further and further as you desperately seek to make sense of whatever words can be made out. Rene Magritte, the Belgian surrealist, used to talk of objects being interesting only because of the implied unknown of what they hide behind them, and I feel like a similar intrigue is appearing here. The vocals tempt you deeper into the sonic dream because their focus is not on what they are showing but on what they are obscuring.

There are some who say this deep trap sound has become boring and stale already, but to those I say keep searching and you'll discover artists like Telamonia who are finding subtle ways to create imaginative sounds with intensely personal inspiration. For all it's synthetic sonic elements, Salt In My Eyes sounds unmistakeably organic in the dark and unconscious soundscapes that it delivers. At less than two minutes long it feels like Salt In My Eyes will fit more coherently as part of the wider project that Telamonia is working on. However, it is also a brilliant piece of sound-craft in it's own right, and a sure sign that Telamonia has the foundations for something outstanding.


Salt In My Eyes is taken from Telamonia's upcoming EP Here's To Death.

Listen to Telamonia's music on Spotify and Apple Music, and follow on Instagram and Facebook.


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