Metanoia is the debut EP from the East London-based trio Adele Dazeem. Formed in 2020 by singer/guitarist Charlie Hearl, bassist Philippe O’Connor and drummer Frank Andrews, they have developed a sound that fuses a cutting urgency with ethereal ambience. The name comes from an infamous John Travolta mispronunciation – seemingly in contrast to the weight of their music – but the idea of a simple misread name became the starting point for their creative exploration of identity, ego, attachment and the different parts of ourselves.This explains why – alongside Sigur Rós, Weyes Blood, Deerhunter, Ulrika Spacek, Duster, Deafheaven and Beach House – they list psychologists, writers and thinkers among their influences, including Erich Fromm, RD Laing, Donald Winnicott, Ernest Becker, Susan Sontag, Melanie Klein, Hannah Arendt and Victor Frankl.As their first body of work, Metanoia – produced by mixed by Rory Atwell – traces an inner journey from darkness and emotional dissonance to confrontation and eventual transformation across its four stunning tracks. With origins in Ancient Greek philosophy and Christian mysticism, the title roughly means ‘a change of mind’, or the moment when psychological collapse becomes clarity. Opening with the frenetic ‘Misère’ – named after a play in cards where you self-sabotage and attempt to lose every trick – it moves into the epic ‘Deep Sea Hand’ which, five minutes in, speeds up and opens out in a hopeful moment of pure release. The intense ‘Mezanin’ explores the discomfort of awakening without action, the moment when awareness begins to surface, leading into the title track.
