Among all the stories of The Outlaw Ocean, the one that resonated with me most was that of Eril Andrade’s in the chapter, “The Middlemen.” A man only hoping to find a better future, Eril became another victim to the exploitation and inhumanity in the fishing industry. Eril’s sorrowful tale, as well as the others in the book, inspired me to produce music defined by a melancholy and hope — a melancholy drawn from the human pain and suffering, and ecological destruction unveiled through Ian’s reporting, but also a hope and optimism that this is reversible. Through the insight and wisdom The Outlaw Ocean provides a desire for change may be sparked and a reconsidering of the lifestyles we accept.

Melorman