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Ezekiel Honig’s “Unmapping The Distance Keeps Getting Closer” is a hauntingly evocative journey into fragmented memory and environmental dislocation. Known for his use of field recordings and ghostly textures, Honig presents a deeply personal album, one that feels like an emotional unraveling. The album straddles minimalism and abstraction, with blurred, melancholic melodies weaving through disjointed rhythms and obscure sound sources. The piano, horns, and percussive elements don’t stand out but dissolve into the background, creating an atmosphere that feels both urban and otherworldly.

Technically, the album showcases Honig’s signature approach – unpolished, tactile, and with a kind of organic imperfection that invites comparison to artists like Taylor Deupree or Tim Hecker, though Honig remains far more subdued. The glitching, muted instrumentation recalls walking through New York City at night, where the surrounding noise gradually morphs into something more introspective and unsettling. “Moving In Place”, for instance, features what feels like a heartbeat-like pulse over distant, crackling tones, evoking both physical and emotional isolation.

The central theme of “Unmapping…” is its liminality – a space that constantly shifts, making it impossible to locate a stable ground. As Honig draws listeners through distorted urban and natural soundscapes, one never quite knows where they stand. This fluidity is both intriguing and disorienting, evoking a kind of sonic unmooring. Tracks like “Reconstruction” and “Distance Keeps Getting Closer” amplify this sensation, with distorted layers of piano and sound processing creating a blend of nostalgia and unease.

There’s an undeniable psychological depth to Honig’s work. As if unmapping his inner landscape, he confronts listeners with a narrative that unfolds between moments of disintegration and brief, elusive clarity. Despite its often dark tone, the record doesn’t feel pessimistic. Rather, it inhabits a space of introspective tension, where there’s room for hope even in the midst of dissolution.

For those familiar with Honig’s earlier work, “Unmapping…” represents a more abstract, darker turn. Comparisons to his peers like Loscil and Deaf Center are inevitable, but where those artists often emphasize ethereal beauty, Honig focuses more on decay and texture. Each piece feels alive, fraying at the edges, breaking apart, but with a strange, magnetic pull that keeps the listener invested.

Ultimately, “Unmapping The Distance Keeps Getting Closer” is a beautiful, challenging, and meditative piece of work. It captures Honig’s unique ability to transform the everyday into something transcendent, while inviting listeners to engage with the soundscape in a thoughtful, almost philosophical way.