Nick Russell, the genius behind 6:17, has shared his new single “Splendid Soldiers” and will release his newest experimental music EP, Bleeding Through, which promises to reshape our appreciation of the genre. The project is an ambitious plunge into the depths of human emotion and the challenges of self-doubt, change, and mental health through an eclectic combination of acoustic, industrial, electronic , and IDM influences.
Front and center is the terse single “Bleed,” a bracingly frank depiction of life with depression. But the b-side, a haunting take on Alev Lenz’s Splendid Soldiers, lands a surprising gut punch. With George Garnett of Bedsit on drums, this version is a connoisseur’s lesson in atmospherics; it blends 6:17’s trademark experimental surfaces with an epic, filmic roundness.
Russell’s reading of “Splendid Soldiers” pulls the track back to its emotional core, draping ghostly electronics around Garnett’s booming percussion. The result is a dynamic reimagining that keeps “Splendid Soldiers” melancholic beauty while injecting an ominous undercurrent perfect for Bleeding Through’s themes.
With excitement growing for the complete EP release, “Splendid Soldiers” proves that 6:17 knows how to change and transcend genres, giving you a moment of powerful introspection amidst the pandemonium. This is a chillingly gorgeous expedition of the human mind, executed with a cinematic ferocity that doesn’t entirely dissipate after the last chord.