Kamyar Khanzaei Goes at Glitch-Hop in ‘Depression Is Buttem Less’ EP

As the founder of Tehrani label, Sampatic Records, Kamyar ‘Ring’ Khanzaei has always been a champion of music diversity - something that defines much of his own body of work as a producer.

When it comes to genre and categorisation, he has made a habit of delivering the unexpected and defying the norm by allowing himself to simply experiment without fear. We’ve seen delve into electro, minimal and hip-hop, but he always deconstructs them and builds them into something entirely unique.

On the back of a recent release with another Iranian heavyweight producer, Nesa Azadikhah, the eclectic Khanzaei is at it again, this time with an experimental hip-hop/glitch-hop shot with Depression Is Buttem Less.

The first of the two tracks, named after the EP, finds a duality between soft and harsh, calming and agitating at the same time. While the use of drones, distorted vocals and add a ton of jarring effects attack you first, serene pads and an old-school drum pattern balance things out.

‘Was An Addict’ is cut from the same cloth as the title track, but with a slower BPM and more melancholic direction to it. It’s a starker, more minimal ensemble than the one preceding it, making this short but impactful EP a project of two halves - and a small but effective sample of Khanzaei's unpredictable approach to music.