New EP from ION

In the remote landscapes of the Balkans, an enigmatic artist known as ION channels nature’s spirit, translating these ethereal connections into compelling musical works. Based on the traditions and rituals of his upbringing among the mountains of Kosovo, ION distils the essence of ancient spirituality and environmental purity through his own artistic lens.

For ION, music is a medium for ritual, one that connects listeners with ancestral roots and an older understanding of the natural world. With a background in both experimental music performance and mystical practice, he uses sound as a sacred art, blending the purity of nature with modern creative expression.

ION first shared his original sonic vision in 2020 with the release of his debut EP, EP.Io, which introduced his innovative fusion of sound and spirit. Since then, he’s released a number of works, each furthering his exploration of sound’s ancient role in ritual and spiritual connection. Now, with his latest EP Like A Sickness, ION offers a profound examination of themes of insanity, spiritual preservation and occult wisdom. The EP is at once intense and reflective, presenting an experience that invites listeners to explore their own connection to the sacred and the mystical.

Like A Sickness marks a new phase for ION, blending multidisciplinary elements to create a space where music, ritual and spirituality collide. Each tack captures a unique perspective on humanity’s long-lost connections with the divine, all set against a backdrop of modern experimentalism. The EP opens with “Mercurii Ritual,” an improvisational organ composition designed as an invocation for journeys, both spiritual and physical. The track distils ideas of initiation, serving as a ceremonial send-off into the unknown.

Following this is “Homesick,” a track that jumps into humanity’s yearning for the simplicity and unity of early spiritual practices. With tribal chants and pattering percussion, the track captures the offers a taste of ceremonial gatherings via a hypnotic sound that calls listeners back to their roots in communal joy and sacred tradition. A different perspective emerges with “Surface Tension,” which addresses the pressures of modern life filtered through gently punchy beats and expressive vocal flutters.

Another highlight is the closing track “You Hear Her Too?,” a two-part exploration of the figure of the witch with the first half portraying witches as healers and protectors of nature, while the second half explores the darker, vilified perceptions of witches as symbols of malevolence and madness. This duality is reflected in the dreamy, water-drop instilled intro and the moody finale of softly pounding rhythms and intense vocalisation to craft an expansive and gripping conclusion to this groundbreaking new EP from ION.

Commenting on the release, he shares, “This EP is monumental for me. Like A Sickness, is the initiatory body of work in my transmutation as an artist. It represents a shift towards ritualistic, more intimate expressions of the occult. Through these songs, I aim to reawaken the purity and sincerity of early spiritual devotion, and this transformation will only continue to unfold.”

Listen to Like A Sickness below