Giant Chess Men & Kevin Kilcoyne present Exclusion Zone, the third single from the Omoi EP.
Overview by Kevin Kilcoyne:
A homonym in Japanese, Omoi, means both thought and tremendous weight, in a literal and figurative sense. Born out of a very difficult time in my life, I find this project can be easily defined by that simple word and the thoughts and feelings conjured by its meanings. When I began these illustrations, I felt isolated personally, physically, and emotionally. I went through periods of intense hope and intense sadness. I began creating these illustrations as an escape from that. They became a way for me to express these often dark emotions. The pieces carry themes of nostalgia and escape, but also the dark thoughts that creep in and surround you like a fog. They have the absurd elements of a mind left to wander by itself, contrasted by some childlike elements that, in my eyes, work to instill an even sadder quality in the illustrations.
Throughout the project I took inspiration from books and video games and a love for anime and manga; the outlets I’ve gone to again and again as an escape from life. During the time I made these initial illustrations, I often felt a longing to just sleep for long periods of time. I would have the recurring image of myself curled up at the bottom of an empty well, surrounded by darkness. Or sitting in a dark room sealed off from the rest of the world. In the series I tried to capture that desire for escape into one’s mind, to no longer have to worry about the outside world like a hikikomori.
It was after my collaboration began with Giant Chess Men that the series took a more concrete shape as an illustration of that imaginary, isolated house in my mind. That way, though the styles subtly change from one piece to the next, motifs reoccur like nagging thoughts that linger. They’re meant to create a warped image of the dark house I wished to escape to.
Read more about the project at:
silverwavesound.com/omoi
released March 24, 2023
Artwork by Kevin Kilcoyne
Music, mixing & guitar - Michael Wheeler
Saxophone - Manuel Trabucco
Mastering - Oxbow Mastering