Old Tower "Spectral Horizons" (2016)

I'm growing rather fond of Old Tower's stellar approach to Dungeon Synth. The Dutch musician has a knack for composing in this mysterious, illusive realm. It calls from just beyond the horizon, always distant, out of reach, a seemingly calm and uneventful place yet its full of intrigue. The music lingers in its moment, you focus your gaze upon a frozen statue, its pose different with each lapse of attention. Subtlety is the power it yields. With its soft synth and dreary drones Spectral Horizons conjurers a gloomy, majestic atmosphere of time, place, culture and nature that is most likely a personal one for the listener, depending on where your imagination wanders too.

Its soft, elongated melodies and gleams of event in the form gong crashes and buried, pounding tribal drums calling from the deep create quite the sense of epic within this aesthetically meek setting. Its instruments play to their quiet selves, no conflicts arise as they do not compete for attention. Its a cushioned production where the sounds meld sweetly, allowing its most eventful passageways to pass a distracted listener yet suck in the attentive captivated by its shy spell. It has some awkward moments of wind whirling and rain transitioning the music but between them long stretches of yearning, ancient synths and archaic choral chants suck one in.

Like The Rise Of The Scepter, Spectral Horizons is split into two halves around twenty minutes in total and its songs have distinct shifts, clear breaks in its tone and instrumentation that could of been broken into smaller sections however it is not labeled in two parts. The nature of the music commands it to be enjoyed as a whole. With a shorter run time one feels the benefit of curation as these compositions hold well for their duration. They may not call for the most lavish of praises but within their own realm Old Tower is produces some unique magic with this project.

Rating: 5/10

Danzig "6:66 Satans Child" (1999)

Arriving at the sixth chapter in the Danzig series we have a refinement of sound, vastly improving upon the disappointment of Blackacidevil which tried and failed at its own unique take on the Industrial Metal sound of that era. Satans Child follows suit in the same genre but takes no risks with erratic experimentation and nauseating drum sampling. Instead the band forge a leaner sound with a rounded, brighter production. They give its guitars a weighty metal punch that unfortunately doesn't manifest the same magic from Danzig, II, III or IV, however we do hear strong echos of that time on songs like Into The Mouth Of Abandonment but the record is a mixed bag.

The biggest sell of this record is front man Glenn Danzig himself who returns firmly to his bluesy style, rising to the center of attention, the double tracking of his vocals has some real oomph that's a nice touch and his emotional burdens find their theater again. With a firm sound and the return of the singer it is the obvious influences that initially took my attention away. In the wake of the Nu Metal scene one may initially hear the syncopated stop start grooves that play thick distortion guitars against their absence and focus on the altered approach to groove however its not really not in that vein. They do sound strikingly akin to other bands on some songs though, the Unspeakable main riff sounds lifted from a classic Helmet record and Apokalips sounds uncannily alike to Swans. For the most part they sound like Danzig experimenting with the Industrial Metal style other bands had mastered at this point.

Once over these humps I could hear somewhat of a slow start to this record, its first tracks roll out and the tone is cramp, the guitar work stiff but as it grows the slow crushing guitars of Doom Metal start to revere its demonic head. Further down the road the welcome sound of pinch harmonics starts to bounce of the guitar riffs in true Danzig style. Cult Without A Name is the first instance but its not until Cold Eternal and the last five songs that the record really blossoms, the closer being a real gem. Its a strange journey that ends well, the music is enjoyable but the infection is only to be found in a handful of songs at the end. I think the band find themselves again here but have a hard time getting the best from Glenn and themselves when they are stepping away from the fundamentals of their roots and sound together. A fair record.

Favorite Tracks: Into The Mouth Of Abandonment, Apokalips, Thirteen

Rating: 6/10

Deafheaven "Ordinary Corrupt Human Love" (2018)

California Black Metal outfit Deafheaven, often a target of controversy among purists, return with their fourth full length record and with it they take a step further away from their roots. On my third listen I found a strong distaste for the musics construct as the album revealed itself. It was rather odd to suddenly dislike what had initially been enjoyed but now that Ive grown to really get where this record is coming from, it all makes perfect sense.

Ordinary Corrupt Human Love is barely a Black Metal record in any musical sense and yet it clings to the raspy screams and shrill aesthetics of the sound with clutching hands. It holds back the music, the notation, mood and melody, the emotions they invoke simply don't stem from darkness. One can hear flavors of Ethereal, Dream Pop, even Grunge and some strong Pink Floyd influences in their "blackgaze" which is essentially disconnecting from the darker aspects.

The opening You Without End ushers in a stunning piano sequence and spoken word phase to evoke a peaceful, serine setting. In rumbles shrill screams distortion guitar leads, forcing their way into the music and unsettling the spell. To use a word like contrast or juxtapose would be complimentary, these are in a state of conflict, opposing moods that wont meet. The transitions, the sways between ends are without an organic flow that was once the magic itself.

In all fairness the record has some moments where they gel but its a case of brief encounters. The bulk of the music composed has obvious draws from a range of non Metal influences. Canary Yellow is a song that has to constantly battle this opposition out as gleams of light and uplift are inflected through the barrage of drumming, distortion guitars and howling screams that dispel the songs actual charm. It becomes a constant ache in the side as the serene and Ethereal guitar work is burred by this constant reach for extremity that's unwarranted.

Near and Night People, the shortest songs, get to flourish in the lack of this burden. Chelsea Wolfe features to transform the music with her presence on the latter. Her voice so distinct she always makes a song sound like her own. There is a lot of fantastic music on this record, I just struggle to enjoy it as the shrill Black Metal inflections constantly disrupt the mood of the music. It feels unnecessary at this point, a hangover, perhaps part of their sound that needs evolution rather than holding on to.

Favorite Tracks: Near, Night People, Worthless Animal

Rating: 6/10

Job For A Cowboy "Doom" (2005)

As the years pass by my memories of the Deathcore scene's days grow fonder. My recent addiction to Job For A Cowboy's classic Entombment Of A Machine has reminded me of just how much fun we had when the scene blew up. We got to watch all the new bands fly in from the states and it was wondeful. Although my introduction to the music was through Bring Me The Horizon (IIRC), this EP from the American group was where it all started, spawning many imitation bands in the wake of its unusual popularity and new style. Make no mistake, Entombment is an ugly song! Harsh and abrasive, its shrill pig squeals would challenge fans of guttural vocals yet somehow this Extreme Metal song spread like wildfire through the Myspace music scene, it would give them the exposure to land their debut album Genesis in a billboard chart two years later.

Its probably been a decade since I last listened to Doom in its twenty seven minute entirety. I believe the copy I own now has an extra track I had not heard before, which was a pleasant surprise as I remember all the other tracks like a day had not passed. The bonus song Entities leans more so in the direction of a fundamental Death Metal song towards its end, sharper blast beats, tighter riffing, a flashy guitar solo and only one pig squeal? Its a subtle indication of their next direction as a band, to rid themselves of the Hardcore influence and go strictly Death Metal on their full length debut album.

 The other five songs, minus the cinematic intro, are a riot of violence, a vile thrashing of dense guitars as snarling screams and guttural roars are all channeled into abstracted moments of groove that underpin the musics harsh, unforgiving aesthetic. The songs often drifts through brief passageways of ugly, bitter chaotic sounds in the wake of pinch harmonics and loose, rattling blast beats. These moments are swiftly transformed as the record's tracks all revolve around a philosophy of continual evolution. The ugliest moments are quickly transformed and transcended as gear shifts chop up the pace and allow slamming grooves to erupt, as the classic Entombment does so well.

The vocals are a big point of contention that could easily turn a listener off, the pig squeals are blunt and piercing. They jump into the music with little more than rhythmic sequencing as "bree bree" and "squee squee" clearly offers no lyrical content. I personally find it hilarious, between the swings of gritty shredding and slamming grooves the eruption of unwieldy squeals is an amusing testament to the nature of the music itself, a joke. That's not an insult but a means to say the music is clearly aware of its own deliberate abrasion and boisterous persona.

Everything must be taken with a pinch of salt, the ugly, challenging aesthetic is manipulated to extract the groove and excitement in music from the most devious of places. That is what is genius about extreme music and here Job For A Cowboy brandish a new fusion of ideas that would go on to spawn a whole new wave of Extreme Metal that would upset the old guard and stir controversy within the community that at the end of the day is a waste to even care about. Enjoy music if you can but don't spend your energy on hating it. Doom is fun, a really exhilarating listen full of obnoxious extremity.

Favorite Track: Entombment Of A Machine

Rating: 7/10

Mistigo Varggoth Darkestra "Midnight Fullmoon" (1997)

Continuing our journey through the nostalgic realms of Dungeon Synth, I cast my mind far back as memories reach commands. Into my mind popped this strange cassette I obtained well over a decade ago. My memory of how and why I got Midnight Fullmoon are vague but I remember finding the band name somewhat hilarious. The music itself didn't captivate me since I only listened to it once, at the time I had no knowledge of DS or if that term had been coined yet. It was just a strange and peculiar piece of music from the early days of a now evolved and blossomed sound.

Its opening track wains in a balance between harsh, cheesed synths and whirling, spell bounding wave forms in the background. They relish the low fidelity setting and start to conjure the dark and indulging atmospheres one might expect. The following track nails this, a primitive composition pined by a beating heart as the sound of rain drops lowers the tone and thunder strike reinforce a lonely, gloomy setting steeped and an eerie, mystic vibe driven by its subtle synth lines. Track three is one I remember, or more so its familiarity to a well known melody which I couldn't pin down. The music is fine but the aesthetics are just to bold and punchy, it stands in contrast to what came before it.

At this point a direction, arching theme or sense of place fails to define itself. A swampy song is clustered with a selection of sounds including trumpets that seem to pull it in multiple directions, only to be followed by a dizzying six minute experiment with techno synths and buried electronica drums. It too suffers from an arsenal of contrasting sounds that fail to gel. A brief uplift from the short The Last Rays Of A Dying Sun is a brief glimmer as the following track plays around with bells and reoccurring theme of unsuited instruments chiming in with one another in an unmusical fashion of gap filling.

Its easy to point out flaws and focus on negatives. If I were to rid myself of the focus a charm does emerge, one of mysticism and distant voices of despairing figures. Its dark allure has a safe distance and a couple of passages ways do strike something of memorability, especially that ever present heartbeat. Another consideration is how primitive this was. I have no idea as to how these ideas spread beyond tape trading and its relation to the Black Metal scene. Although records like Depressive Silence had far more to offer at its time, this could be seen as a jewel if isolated in its inception. There are interesting and intentfull ideas at play here, they are just far behind the then curb.

Favorite Tracks: Raining Darkness Of The Forestland Midnight, The Last Rays Of A Dying Sun

Rating: 4/10

Travis Scott "Astroworld" (2018)

Anticipation for this record has been a thorn in the side, a constant ache commanding me to routinely check for its arrival with no release date mentioned. Its a frequent trend these days to drop albums with only a short notice. Although my reviews of Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight and Rodeo were not especially favorable I could hear something unique in Travis. Its truly manifested as the power of shuffle and time away from his music had those songs giving back more with each listen. After plenty of binging Id even consider Rodeo a modern Hip Hop classic. As my love for his sound grew, so has my apatite for more, hence the growing anticipation.

Astroworld had been grossly hyped. Given my knowledge of Six Flags Astroworld thanks to a Defunctland documentary, my curiosity was peaked as to what the closed theme parks roll in its topicality was this time around. Given my often disconnect from the lyrical aspects of music I certainly didn't pick up on any particular theme beyond a few references and so Astroworld has landed soft, nothing feels particularly distinct or intentional and so the promise of an obscure topic for a Hip Hop record is lost on me.

Reflecting back as to how the other records took months and even years to grow on me I figured its best not to rush into making up my mind on Astroworld. Although it hasn't charmed me I can analytically hear some stylistic progressions, expansive instrumentation and compositional ideas blossoming into indulging atmospheres, however the over saturated "skrt skrt"s and "its lit" cries coming from the background with excessive reverbs hold the music to its previous step, overshadowing what makes this record unique, retrospectively speaking.

The sleek dark atmospheres and romping grooves of tracks like Sicko Mode and Carousel are to be expected but get the album rolling in a different gear to the rest of its run time. The synthesizers and aesthetic of the music drifts into a peculiar place more psychedelic, dreamy and laid back than the urban darkness heard in his previous efforts. At times it can feel uplifting, the track Skeletons embodies this however its brief moment of what seems like a stream of conscious rap seems to loose its own train of thought as Travis morphs into a derogatory pair of rhymes spit very much in the style of Kanye West, a voice, tone and style you can hear in his flows often across the project.

My take away from Atroworld at this point is a lack of stylistic focus. Much of his production style traits stay intact and flirts with more excess as he layers some lyrics with gated reverbs and the like. The album steers its sampling and instrumentation beyond the percussion with R&B accents, some eclectic instruments like the harmonica and organ, it fails to nail a vibe that sucks you in. As stated above I am willing to let this one sink in and hope it reveals more meaning and indulgence with some absence and revival.

Favorite Tracks: Sicko Mode, Stop Trying To Be God, No Bystanders, Butterfly Effect,

Rating: 5/10

Logic "The Incredible True Story" (2015)

To put it simply, this record is wonderful. Undoubtedly the best of Logic Ive heard as we travel backwards in time, going through his yearly releases one by one. Its his second full length, a sigh of relief after the disappointing, braggadocio riddled Bobby Tarantino. Held together with a meaty size of skits and sketches in the opening phase, this far from perfect project reeks of fun, inspiration and an artist living in the moment. The uplifting, jazzy, summery beats will elevate your mood between the amusing audio scenes depicting the journey of a spaceship crew in a dystopian future making their way to a questionable place know as "paradise". It takes up a fair portion of the run time but keeps your apatite fresh for when Logic comes back to the mic with a plethora of rhymes delivered on top of his game.

Logic's firm grasp on the art of rap hails back as far as the roots, specifically heard in tributes to Nas's classic Illmatic flows as well as his own. The crisp delivery and smooth articulation has the strengths and hallmarks of raps greatest traits while standing to one side with his scintillating stretches of swift flows and embrace of modern trends. The timely use of sung raps and a soft dash of auto tune in spots breaks up the monotony that a full length of straight rap can encounter. His appeal must surely be broad as this record offers something up for fans of all eras. The same can be said of collaberator 6ix and his beats, a mix of lean drum loops and aptly programmed kits also span varying styles but mainly focus on the modern aesthetic as tight grooves with snappy hi hats match up with subtler, tone setting samples to build a meditative atmosphere for Logic to get in the zone with.

 Speaking to the strength of this record, I was really surprised when I realized the albums run time creeps just over an hour. It rolls by like a fine breeze keeping you cool until you notice times up. The lyrics are engaging, the moods engrossing. There is plenty to pick apart and the best of it comes in those classic Logic flows where it feels like each word is one ahead of the next as you mentally catch up with the wit in the rhyme. It ebbs and flows as he changes up the pacing with the sung hooks and the instrumentals are right in step. I can't fault the record, it doesn't define itself as groundbreaking or earth quaking, Its a solid musical experience, so enjoyable, so fun and a pleasure to let spin when you have the time.

Favorite Tracks: Fade Away, Like Woah, Young Jesus, Paradise, The Incredible True Story

Rating: 8/10

Drake "Scorpion" (2018)

Canadian rapper Drake hardly needs an introduction as one of popular musics biggest names right now. Successive number one debuts continue as this newest double album smashes record and peaks charts as well as causing a little controversy with the record being shoved down the throats of spotify users. At ninety minutes, split into two halves, it is his lengthiest project to date with no obvious justification for its long run time, some suspect its to take advantage of listening habits and streaming service algorithms. Either way his music is enjoyed by many and in my opinion the easy listening nature of his style doesn't always equate to greatness and I struggle to see whats the appeal of such a record. Their is clearly some great music to be found here, If shaved down to thirty minutes we might have something special, as a handful of tracks do manage to rise above a wash of relative mediocrity.

As the album gets going one can follow Drake's current situation, self reflecting, confronting his status and ego, talking of beef, drama and assumed "hits" placed on him. He dives into more meaningful thoughts as he reflects on how his fame hurts relationships and complicates life. Its enjoyable but after a few songs the topical steam runs out or at least my enthusiasm for it does. His style and flow is so plain and simple its obviously the appeal, easy to digest and follow but his tone is a little to flat for my liking, not of lot emotion put into the voice itself. Their also isn't a lot of wisdom or food for thought beyond the self interest in his words. The other half to his sound is the auto tune singing, which seems to be split, the first half focuses mostly on raps and the second lulls the percussion and focuses on singing.

The instrumentals at work mostly have a sterile approach of punchy fast attack and sharp decay kits distanced from the accompanying samples that stir the tone and atmosphere, often with minimalism. They often go by with little distinction but on occasions strike a nerve. Don't Matter To Me has a soothing atmosphere and then drops in a previously unused recording of Micheal Jackson from the vaults. It sounds utterly superb and is one of a few gems in the rough. God's Plan is a great song that's been a hit and the newest In My Feelings single is another good song that suffers from some utterly obnoxious aggressive shouting and ridiculous rhythmic syncopation of vocal samples and bass kicks. It really turns a nice track on its side.

The last record I checked out, More Life, offered so much more in comparison. The instrumentation had variety and experimentation. Scorpion just doesn't have much charisma or flare to it. Its just a wash of loosely forged atmospheres that lack depth or dexterity. Its easily listened to but mostly goes in one ear and out the other. There are a couple of interesting songs that hold up but they are far and few between. Without any over arching concept or theme it just sound like an over bloated collection of songs aimed at creating a run time. This is evident more so in the second half where more dreamy R&B style tracks come into the fold with no real relation to what ran before it. For this listener Scorpion drags its feet to the finish line, which hardly feels like an accomplishment.

Favorite Tracks: God's Plan, Sandra's Rose, That's How You Feel, In My Feelings, Don't Matter To Me

Rating: 5/10

Algiers "The Underside Of Power" (2017)

I first heard of this record in relation to Zeal And Ardor, referencing the singing which harbors bold accents of chain gang vocals and origin blues vocals. That lured me close and Ive since been sucked into this fantastically dark and rooted musical experience. Hailing from the southern city of Atlanta, Algiers are primarily a Post-Punk band fronted by singer Franklin Fisher, who's voice is a constant pleasure, strong and powerful he acts like the guiding light that unifies the mood and meaning of the instrumentals and gospel singers parading behind him. This is their sophomore album released last year to much critical acclaim and I have to share in their praise of these forty four minute of engrossing musical art.

Firmly at the core of the sound is a Post-Punk vibe emboldened by the dense, punchy baselines that patrol the musics underbelly, making itself known, laying a foundation for the atmospheres forged above. Its tight with the percussion, a refreshingly modern aesthetic that's executed without flash and flare. The tricky shuffles of fast high hats and grooving sub kicks of Trap music is to be heard but the approach is a million miles away from formulaic Hip Hop beats. With a wealth of kit samples, programmed sequences avoid repetition and meld seemingly like a drummer following the musics intensity and complimenting it as such. At times its organic and can appropriately take on a more mechanical Industrial form when its called for in darker times.

Out front, loading the music with texture, dynamism and charisma is an arsenal of instruments. Guitars, pianos, keyboards playing a myriad of synth tones, the saxophone, stringed instruments and even a glockenspiel makes an appearance as the four multi-instrumentalists utilize their talents in the dense web of sound they create together. It can be a lot to unpackage and after many, many plays through the soundscapes still feel like a maze of detail to stair into. Under its emergent melodies play drones, distortions and memorizing rattles of reverberated sounds that somehow don't descend into chaos and broaden the scope of sound.

The record flows with a sense of progression, in its opening phases Fisher commands the music with his empowered, deep, emotive voice, flexing his words with expressive affections that resonate with Blues and Soul vibes. The music is inherently dark in a personal manor, burden and destitute surround his voice, the source of strength and uplift that lurks beyond the pale. There is an almost biblical quality to the epic that is his presence and on the title track we have a moment of gleam and uplift, overcoming the horror as choral gospel chants illuminate his performance rising up above all else. As the record progresses the instrumentals seemingly grow and overtake his importance as the drums get more mechanical and two tracks nearing end have him in absence.

The Underside Of Power is a riveting experience devoid of a weak spot. Its engrossing chemistry of powerful song writing and an energetic textural experience lasts its run time without a hitch. Everything feels meaningful and full of purpose. Without a gimmick or flash in the pan this really feel like an album to stand the test of time. Its place in the musical landscape is unique, its not pushing boundaries in any direction but showing where overlaps are to made, a combination of influences and sounds that becomes more than all its apparent parts. Truly wonderful.

Favorite Tracks: The Underside Of Power, Death March, Hymn For An Average Man

Rating: 9/10

Czarface & MF Doom "Czarface Meets Metal Face" (2018)

Hip Hop trio Czarface consists of underground Boston duo 7LES and the legendary Inspectah Deck of the Wu-Tang Clan. I had not heard of the project before but a collaboration with the esteemed MF Doom put it on many radars, myself included. The album takes on a wonderful persona from the get go and sticks with from start to end. Its loaded with sharp, keen and witty lyricism, especially from Inspectah and Doom, creating a sweet vibe that holds. Themes of super heroes and villains, a fantasy world akin to comic culture plays out through beats, rhymes and alter egos as the fantastic narrating voice of Czarface guides us through the tracks with playful interludes and conversing. The tone of the voice is sublime, its gravely, animated and enthusiastic, the words of an evil mastermind leap of the comic book pages, you know who is talking.

The records instrumentals are a careful craft of tight drum loops and cherry picked samples arranged to liven the atmosphere with its texture and unobtrusive melodies. Its got depth that lasts with each listen and given its range of variations and attention to detail one can find a lot to enjoy in the production alone, especially the tracks with multiple phases and animated sound effects that illuminate rhymes and interludes.

Above the noise the three rappers take on loose directions loaded with clever rhyme schemes and a plethora of cultural and musical references weaved into their flows, as well as other rappers classic lines too. There is probably a lot I'm missing to given my lack of knowledge on comic characters but the free association style naturally draws attention to the wit revolved around a point of reference and sounds a lot more generalized as consequence to my ignorance. The beats however vividly conjure the fantasy vibes of villains and super heroes battling it out in a world of good and evil.

The record doesn't hit any peaks, nor does it dip into valleys. It rolls around at a keen and steady pace with every song hitting a firm grade of quality, delivering the goods from start to end. If I could fault anything it may be the consistency itself. On the lyrical front the record rarely lets up from the similar style of rhyming all three share and so the references and puns just keep coming and loose spark based on the listeners appetite. The instrumentals however are continually exciting as they create striking atmospheres again and again, I think its actually the stronger half of the formula against two of Hip Hops best MCs. Strong album, really enjoyable.

Favorite Tracks: Meddle With Metal, Bomb Thrown, Nautical Depth

Rating: 7/10

Dance With The Dead "The Shape" (2016)

After the disappointment of Send The Signal we jump forward to The Shape, the California duo's most recent album, which restores much of the dark and playful, EDM pounding, nostalgic Retro Wave to its prime. This record doesn't appear to revive the guitar leads and 80s Metal accents, instead it finds its form in a leaning towards the fun and comical horror of zombie movies and the like. Its key melodies play like a howl in the wind with a touch of the spooky and creepy, however the audience is kept safe from harm behind the glossy aesthetic of gleaming electronic instruments and the continuous thud of Dance beats.

Its a very likable record, it rests itself firmly within the night club as its relentless snare and kick drive keeps the pulsating energy flowing while its lead instruments explore the themes over top of chugging Industrial guitars that lay behind the dazzling synths to add some texture and force to the sound. Its a squeaky clean sound, polished almost to a fault as a lack of natural feel leaves the music lingering in a sterile environment where its monotonous pounding sometimes loses charm.

The mid song Adrift does an important job toning down the energy and giving the record some room to breathe as its punchy, fast attacking synths rarely break formation. Its organized, mechanical and industrious, all the parts of the machine fire on demand and leave the music without many organic or fluid moments but obviously that's not what its aiming for. Its a finely tuned engine blazing down the night highway, illuminated by neon lights reflecting from the towers of a never ending city. 

As the album draws on it drifts further from the undercurrent of spooky, horror related melodies that gave it some spice in the get go. It starts to feel rather generic and bland however its arrangement of sharp and keen synths keep a high energy engaging. The last two song bring back some guitar fever and Quietly Into The Night hits a high note as soft piano opens up a slow, open, atmospheric song that's engulfed by an epic display of lead guitar shredding. Its far from where the record but a great note to fade out on. Although the records theme doesn't last the stretch its got plenty of good to go around.

Favorite Tracks: Eyes Of Madness, Her Ghost, Adrift, Quietly Into The Night

Rating: 6/10

Myrkur "Myrkur" (2014)

Lastly for now we arrive at the roots of Amalie Bruun's musical endeavor, the debut, self titled EP which is surprisingly better than the full length M. It suffers the same entanglement of heavenly folkish sounds and beastly Black Metal but here the guitar work stands up a little stronger as the sways between dark and light are equally better despite a lack of flow. Unlike its predecessor which showed stark influences from the formation years of the genre, Myrkur's guitar aesthetics and riffs resemble a style far more akin to a band like Drudkh with harsh and thick tones that have a odd alluring indulgence.

As a purely Folk song, Frosne Vind shines like a beacon among the fog of dissonant aggression. Serine acoustic guitars washed in roomy reverberation paint an air of culture and meaning that her distant voice illuminates with a touch of divinity as the choral chant layers her voice blissfully. Its cut short as we are lunged into the hellfire of blast beasts and tremolo picking that highlights the records lack of cohesive direction or union between these two sounds she would go on to achieve with Mareridt. Her singing may be stunning but it is often cut short by these transitions.

When both Folk and Metal elements reside within singular songs the same rigidity occurs, Latvian Fegurð even has an odd bass heavy "gulp" noise as its beautiful, soft intro is cast to shadows in a sudden shift to snarling shredding. This records merit is in the interest both elements spark up as the aggressive side finds its moments of intrigue with atmospheric riffing. The problem, as to follow, is their contrast which is yet to find a middle ground beyond Amalie singing in her calming clean voice over shrill guitars on a couple of occasions. A reasonable start but as we know it will take another effort before they find what really works.

Favorite Tracks: Frosne Vind, Må Du Brænde I Helvede

Rating: 6/10

Rich The Kid "The World Is Yours" (2018)

I can't remember what convinced me to pick this record up but now I have a familiar feeling of disappointment that seems to be recurring with modern Hip Hop artists that fall into the Trap and Mumble Rap categories. Much like Invasion Of Privacy, the record loads its best material into the first few songs before it descends into a slog of mediocrity that feels like an endurance test. Its Atlanta rapper Rich The Kid's debut album, loaded with some big name features, including Kendrick Lamar. After a long string of mixtapes over the years its earned him a reputation that's led to this.

I can't help but think of Rich as the forth Migo, his style, flow and persona seems fondly akin to the Migos sound with a lack of the signature triplet flow. This could however be testament to the over saturation of this era's sound, the instrumentals are interchangeable and the slurred word mumble flows are loaded with the incessant use of reverberated cries of "skrt skrt", "flex" and other vocalizations between staggered lines of tame, self indulgent lyrics. At some points the "brbrb" shouts get so exaggerated they literally sound like birds chirping. Its goofy to say the least.

There are times where his presence calms down and the beat carries the song but mostly its chop and change as a sequence of rhymes can barely make it uninterrupted. Much of the lyrical content is flash and simplistic with hardly anything of meaning to be extracted from the constant spew of braggadocio that's trying to out do all bragging rappers. The slurring of words and indulgence in rebelling against pronunciation becomes a bore as the album strolls on with a lack of substance to take from a set of beats that could of done with better. I get that its about mood, vibes, lifestyle and swagger but I just can't get onboard this time.

Rating: 3/10

Gothmog "Medival Journeys" (1998)

Continuing our exploration of the dark and dingy Dungeon Synth realms, I found this solo record by Ral, one half of the German Depressive Silence duo. Working under the moniker Gothmog, an Orcish creature from the JRR Tolkien realm, Ral brings us this cassette release limited to 300 copies, that makes a firm shift in direction from previous ambitions. Its cheep and cheesy Casio synth tones are a fond reminder of Lord Lovidicus's Trolldom but despite the Lord Of The Rings inspired name there are no hints of this being an early example of Tolkien inspired Dungeon Synth.

It does however have all the hallmarks of that classic sound. Bold, punchy and dated synth tones work their charm through the mysterious nostalgia of low fidelity recordings harboring a stream of fantasy melodies. The music often drifts into calmer settings as it gets going with bells and flutes sprinkling some charm over otherwise gloomy organs than dominate the undertone, giving it some pull to the dark side but mostly Medival Journeys is humble, pleasant at times dreamy and mysterious... And yes it is misspelled!

 The varying quality of the tracks makes for an interesting listen, the atmosphere doesn't shift to far but its fidelity sways when bright acoustic pianos punch in fiery chords and choppy melodies over energetic string sections, it can get a touch blurry. With frequent progressions and shifts in the pallet of instruments the music is continually engaging and its final proper track Night Passion includes some rather plastic, vibrant Synthpop tones to great effect, alluring to the Depressive Silence style.

The inclusion of a bonus track before the outro is a poor decision. Its opening notes don't prepare you for the dirty, gritty and completely muddy snarls that are about to drop in. After a few minutes the already weak song starts to mess around with a very peculiar phased distortion sound that buries what sounds like gothic chants. It grows in presence and starts to sound like a guitar but more so a wreckage as more ugly, filthy screams groan in dissonance. Its a poorly executed song that butchers the balance of fidelity and sours the ending of an otherwise solid listening experience... The outro track, just a minute long is fantastic tho.

Rating: 6/10

Cardiacs "Sing To God" (1996)

These English rockers second to last record, Sing To God, is a wild ride of a double album! The mistress of its own madness, this eclectically eccentric display of intensified ideals pummels the listener with its dense wall of sound. An unending sprawl of musical mania unfolds as the four piece sound arm themselves to the teeth with attitude and energy to sound like a orchestra on an adrenaline rush. Every note, melody and sung lyric is reinforced by this cacophony of instruments turned to eleven and itching to blast their sound in unison.

These compositions will have one lost in a madhouse as songs leap, lunge and erupt with every shift in structure. Opportunities to jump ship on tempo, pace, time signature and mood are taken, throwing one of the scent frequently. Through this apparent absurdity some very English and Classic Rock musicianship can be heard, echos of Progressive Rock and especially Queen disguise themselves as all the instruments line up like a band of red faced lunatics trying to out play each other, blowing themselves out in the processs.

Its a wonderful experience for those who seek it. A wall of sound that undoubtedly had an influence on Devin Townsend. It was one of the first things I picked up on and subsequent research revealed this is one of his favorite records! The production lends itself kindly to instruments who's aesthetics are charged, frothing and ready to synchronize with anything that steps near. Its a continual treat, whenever a melody is played or sung, before it can finish making itself known an arsenal of competing sounds rush in to make that dizzying wall of sound come to life with a touch of hysteria.

At ninety minutes it tests its listeners endurance, the psychedelic lunacy ceases to let up for a rest and its length may be unnecessary in getting a point across. At times its nutty tone slips into aesthetics where simpler themes emerge but that is just a response to the expectant complexity displayed, its only disappointment is a reliance on fade outs which usual land on a new section of music that's cursed to shadows. Many of my favorite moments are on the first half, by the time the second comes around its worn me down, which I love. Its filled to the brim with creativity and a nutty sense of radical fun that's a race to the finish line only the band will ever win. A very notable record worthy of any acclaim.

Rating: 8/10

Zeal And Ardor "Zeal And Ardor" (2014)

Until some recent research, I had been completely oblivious to the existence of this demo album released two years before Devil Is Fine. That record rocked my world when I first heard it but now with the mighty Stranger Fruit unleashed both It and this demo show their flaws boldly. Rigid edges and the forcing together of contrasted sounds sound stiff and tacky in the wake of Gagneux's evolution as an artist. And so I found myself at odds with this record, much of the blueprint for Devil Is Fine is firmly in place and even more ideas occupy the space. Essentially its an even rougher, primitive, sketched out concept, which makes total sense considering its a demo.

Its a mixed bag of fruits with an extraordinary set of influences on style and aestheic that can't ever seem to settle in one place. Its Black Metal streak ties down some consistency as songs erupt with dark rumblings of blast beats and screams with an essence of familiarity. Beyond it Manuel adds a little of anything from a muted rap on The Lesser Key to all manor of electronic styles with a fondness for glitched, odd timed beats and harsh synths on the Intermezzo interludes. The third installment bares little resemblance as the music drifts into dreary and bleak sound of Ethereal Gothic Rock.

Its hard to keep up with, many of the fruits of this experimentation are far apart from one another both musically and in the run time but on Bounty we find a flare of inspiration that anchors home as the Chain Gang sound. It makes for a cheeky song lined with group claps over a mischievous melody as Manuel sings in a husky voice, telling caution to the slaves who should keep quite in the presence of the governors wife. Its a rare moment of cohesion in a truly curious demo that continually experiments and thus dispels any flow or atmosphere despite having plenty good ideas, they just don't match one another.

Favorite Tracks: Bounty

Rating: 5/10

Notorious B.I.G "Born Again" (1999)

Released two years after his death, Born Again is the first truly posthumous album from the late rapper Notorious B.I.G, a record produced without his input. Its a trend set off by his west coast rival Tupac who was also assassinated in wake of the unfortunate 90s coast beef. The record came to be thanks to Puffy Daddy and his Bad Boy Records, who pulled together a collection of Biggies early demo tape raps and freestyles, pairing him up with other big names in the rap scene. Its also home to the classic self titled song, the first of his I heard, I still remember downloading it from Napster as a kid!

A whole host of names drop onto the record, bringing their A game with tight verses and paying their respects to the great resurrected rhymes of Biggie who has a lot of great material in the vaults. The production is of its time, tightly programmed beats that mostly have bold, punchy, upfront instruments with an occasional touch of aggression. Variety leaves some space for a couple of summery tracks and funky upbeat vibes too but its mostly playing into the street life vibes with an edge of Mafioso Rap, playing close to what can be heard from two years earlier.

The record doesn't try to be more than it is with any overbearing themes or concepts. Each song is its own bubble and on quite a few tracks you can hear some disconnect between the tone and delivery of Biggies rhymes and the backing music but even then it still sounds good. It was really enjoyable to hear more of the late and great rapper. His guest brought excitement too, Eminem turns up with a ghastly verse on the harsh Dead Wrong. Juvenile and B.G. of the Cash Money crew represent the south, Busta Rhymes, Craig Mack, Nas, Mobb Deep, Method Man of the Wu-Tang Clan and even Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg of the west coast join in paying tribute. Its a fitting farewell but far from a classic, just a solid collection of songs that any fan can pick some favorites from. The following Duets I have not heard anything good of though.

Favorite Tracks: Notorious B.I.G, Dead Wrong, Tonight, I Really Want To Show You

Rating: 6/10

Myrkur "M" (2015)

Blown away by their fantastic sophomore record Mareridt I tracked back two years for their debut full length. Simply titled M, we hear ideas and darkly sounds closer to inception, rawer, rigidity in place and without the craft they would go on to display. At this point Bruun was writing alone and recording in the studio with session musicians who had little if no input on composition. It may not be the lone reason but we hear the music in a far more brittle form, the darkness, its uplifting light and rooted atmosphere of folk sounds play out in turns with obvious shifts and turns. Its tracks bleed into one experience as they barely delineate from one another on many fronts.

This initially made the record difficult to get into, its eruptions of snarly screams and harrowing demonic voices forcefully turned the pace of the music as blast beats and shrill guitars would descend on the listener, casting sections of heavenly singing and pagan instrumentation to the side. These three phases are often the focus of the music, her angelic voice, singing softly, gracing over the instruments from an illusive distance. The forcefully harsh and abrasive blasts of ugly Black Metal and the calls of ancestor through horns, violins, fiddles and a helping of atmospheric synth.

There are many moments where these three pillars overlap but often the transitions are rigid, obvious and in sequence. It feels very inspired by the blunt and bold Black Metal of the 90s yet shows the need for the craft, care and inspiration they go on to show in the next record. Initially I focused on this to much and didn't enjoy the record much but with repetition its familiarity let the vibe and mood of the record sink in, which despite some short comings it does has a similar tone to its predecessor... In places... Tracks like Mordet feel cut from the cloth of yesterdays sound of northern darkness but the record charm of swaying from the arms of darkness to the roots of heritage eventually takes over.

All in all M is a decent record that would have been better enjoyed first. The potential it shows feels weaker in retrospect but its ability to cast a spell and create a lasting atmosphere is strong. The sways from black to light and then to heathenish culture are fun and enjoyable. The crafts of subtly and persuasion are not yet with them but blunt the plunges into hell are fun and its gothic edge is charming. Although this may seem like the start their is a short EP beforehand too. I will check that out next.

Rating: 6/10

The Carters "Everything Is Love" (2018)

I was really excited for this album after hearing the hypnotic, Trap alike, attention grabbing Apeshit single. The prospect of this famous couple finally working together on a project was intriguing to say the least but its turned out to be a rather hollow record that lacks an exciting or distinct personality. Its vision is lackluster and fails miserably to get substance out of the duo. Its mediocre, its best moments are barely its own and the production has a range of talent involved but its instrumentals play it all safe.

Admittedly I'm unacquainted with Beyonce's music beyond hearing Desinys Child on MTV as a teen. Her singing on the record is loaded with flamboyant inflections that flavor every word sung with a spice but whatever shes expressing with her voice, I feel a complete emotional disconnect from. As well as singing she dips in with some half way raps and deliveries that feel a step behind the curb, as if playing catch up with trending styles in the Hip Hop sound. This reigns especially true with the adoption of the "skrt skrt" and other trendy lyrics, styles and vocalizations heard in the first half of the album before the two settle into a rhythm.

Jay-Z doesn't come into his own until the records second half. At first hes a quiet presence behind Beyonce who takes the lime light. One of his first raps has him spitting a weak repetition of rhyming words on the hook, nice nice nice, night night night, lights lights lights, ice ice ice. Its a bore and a lot of his lyrical themes fail to jump of the page however by the records final songs he drops some tighter verses but by then the album has lost me. Its a shame, they really don't spark anything unique together, it sounds almost routine at its inception.

The records best moments come on Still with a classic hook borrowed and reworked from Dr. Dre and unsurprisingly it does little other than remind you of how good of a record 2001 was. Its second stride of promise is on the single track Apeshit, which boasts strong Mumble Rap and Trap influences on the instrumental. It wasn't produced by Travis Scott but you can hear his influence and that of the Migos. Nothing more than reflecting the scene but it was pulled of well. Ultimately there is little to this record that's innovative or exciting. Feels like the two came together to do what they know rather than explore their musicality and chemistry.

Favorite Track: Apeshit

Rating: 4/10

Sequestered Keep "The Vale Of Ruined Towers" (2017)

Continuing our dive into the mysterious, adventurous realms of Dungeon Synth we come across this praised release by an artist I was already familiar with. I have many of the previous records from the American composer known as Sequestered Keep, because they were free and plentiful. In a span of a few months they released a dozen albums onto bandcamp, all with a striking monochromatic covers of mythic castles, epic landscapes and darkly forests. Unfortunately I wrote the music off as being far to minimal and effortless, I got the impression it was more about the fantasy of Dungeon Synth than the music itself, minimal because it was put together hastily.

If that is true or not there is no doubting this new logo and introduction of color in the album art signifies a shift in quality. The majesty unfolds with a gleam of medieval fantasy and mystic imagination not far from the kin of Fief. With bright melodies reflecting playful adventures and carefree mischief The Vale Of Ruined Towers paints a rather warm and serine setting within the so often gloomy and decrepit micro genre. Playing into the fantasy side of its sound, a welcoming tone invites the listener in to stay in this carefree realm.

The aesthetics take on a bright, pronounced and glossy sound as luminous instruments in the form of harps, bells, horns and choral synths chime in tandem through compositions of layered melodies which often stack up to several layers, creating a colorful web of sound. Its held together by a constant but easily overlooked percussive line of steady hi hats and the meek shaking of a quiet tambourine without a kick or snare in sight to enforce any groove beyond keeping tempo. Its result is a colorful vision of glory from mystic realms of surreal natural beauty where kings and queens bestow their lands.

With a fairly consistent tone its scope may sound a little narrow as its song structures and musical progressions rarely break the mood and atmosphere of the instruments. It gives the whole album a stagnancy within a beautiful setting. When instruments fade, melodies shift and songs turn direction its as if it goes around in a circle. The record sets a fine tone and atmosphere for the specific mood but on closer inspection feels like it has the power to grow and expand yet the songs remain firmly in the same spot. A great record in some regards yet being familiar with this style It feels like the opertunity as passed to push it further.

Rating: 6/10

YOB "Our Raw Heart" (2018)

Its burly, dense and a meaty affair, another lengthy adventure, a Doom Metal crawler that is not quite to my taste but clearly epic in design. Our Raw Heart follows up on the Oregon bands seventh record, Clearing The Path To Ascend, of which the song Marrow remains a timeless classic among some less favorable cuts. That song is the main reason I checked out this record, in the hopes they would deliver something else as special. Unfortunately little of the record sparks any magic for me, however I hold it with a higher regard as objectively interesting music within the lands of Doom which rarely manages drags me all the way in.

Much of the music is focused around the dynamic duality of the bands long serving front man Mike Scheidt, his emotive vocals and sludgy, brooding riffs play off one another as the elasticated and temporal sway of his guitars crash on the shores. Its like a wave and he is surfing it with ranged singing from clean to grizzly and always earthly, rooted and authentically raw. The tempo held down by the drums crashing around him, compliments the musics direction and in its slowest moments they feel like the bare essentials to hold the sluggish lunging guitars into place as Mike rises over the top of his scenic waves with a meaningful energy.

The texture of the distortions are thick, muddy, crusty, a slab of almost tune deaf noise with a rich detail, unfortunately they don't evoke much beyond an interest as the pace and direction of the songs rarely seem to escape themselves with exception to Beauty In Falling Leaves. It has a bleak yet serine build up and sense of scale that unfolds. On the other end of the spectrum The Screen deploys a dirty, gritty, greasy chugging riff into the fold with not an inch of color about it. Its the albums most boring piece as the riff grinds on monotonously, its breaks and variations offering no counteraction to the ugly and repetitious chug.

Bar the one song I don't think its fair to be critical in anyway of music that you just can't connect with. Ive given it a fair try but in the future I probably wont give them more than one spin in the hopes of them having another song that captures my imagination just like Marrow did. It could be mood, or timing that made it hard to find a connection. In the Doom Metal scene this record will likely be praised but it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Rating: 4/10

Nine Inch Nails "Bad Witch" (2018)

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are offically the duo that makes up the current Nine Inch Nails line up of this specific era. Atticus expands his role into songwriting with Trent after having produced all the groups albums for the last decade or so. Bad Witch is the third and final in this series of mini albums following Not The Actual Events and Add Violence which the pair have written together. The three records make up a larger experience which I am yet to enjoy in one session as a whole musical piece.

In my mind this thirty minute ride splits itself into three phases with the first two songs focusing on the lyrical content. Shapely words fit to mold your feelings can be interpreted in many ways but give the focus on the now and the mutation of change, one line in particular "celebration of ignorance" strikes me as being aimed towards the social-political climate we currently endure. Its fuzzy, hard and grizzly guitars channel the aggression into singular moments as its tightly tuned drums propel us through the aesthetic landscape of Industrial noises and layered synths that forge a disenfranchised mood.

Its next songs include the saxophone which adds a distinct voice to two songs that unpack themselves with groaning landscapes, heaving, expanding and contracting as the musics various layers of sound slowly evolve through their duration. The first track has a beautiful break in the middle for layers of sax to work mysterious magic before the track winds down gracefully. God Break Down The Door seems to mirror this approach with the sax taking a backseat. The inclusion of Trent's voice and the lively drum and bass percussive loop greatly ups the energy it exudes.

Moving into the third phase we have our ambience tracks, the first a soundscape piece of paranoia and phobia driven by a brooding baseline that drags us forward as alien, dark and dystopian noises build up a closing sense of dread that culminates to a hellish moment in the middle, letting the music repeat itself over. The following Over And Out is my favorite song from the record. It lays down a foundational drum groove and woven synth sounds for a big grooving baseline to patrol. Ready for extensive repetition, these quirky, off key, ambiguous piano notes float around the music, mixed into their own carving of audio space. The song sets itself up for length but wisely Trent brings in his voice to drive home a narrative that time is running out and the instruments are pulled through the volume sliders before descending into a drone of airy reverberation to let the music calmly fade out.

Its hard to say exactly what I feel about this record. Much of Nine Inch Nails music from this era demands much of your time to unpack the depth these songs possess. With each listen more is uncovered but it is only inches to the mile, excuse the pun. After quite a few listens the music still feels like it has a lot to offer however It does not wedge itself in the mind. I will listen to all three together at some point and then happily move forward with this band who I appreciate greatly but never quite get sucked all the way in.

Favorite Tracks: Play The Goddamned Part, Over And Out

Rating: 6/10

Death Grips "Year Of The Snitch" (2018)

One of my most anticipated records this year has now arrived and with it comes that familiar Death Grips experience again. Initially alien, esoteric and bizarre, the music plays like a morbid curiosity, an avant-garde experiment into the estranged and then after some time it suddenly clicks into place, you feel as if you have known these songs forever. After the banging, fan pleasing Bottomless Pit the Sacramento trio return to their more adventurous side with an another unusual musical construct that echos some of their Exmilitary roots former glory.

Year Of The Snitch is primarily an aesthetic experience with its rich and vivid tapestries of synths, samples and unusual sounds that approach from all manor of odd angles as you would expect. The performance drumming of Zach Hill livens up the musics texture as the songs interchange between some tightly sequenced kits and his frenetic drumming, making itself know with fast shuffling grooves and fills in and among the chaos of sound one has to unpackage. Mostly the programmed drums hold down tempos and help along the experience with synthetic, quirky kits as opposed to pumping out grooves and energy like the previous record.

MC Ride is fantastic across this project, his lyrics are typically cryptic, quotable and require some thought as per usual but on this release specifically there is a strong mix of freedom, creativity and energy. All of his vocals feel free from any burden, Ride has and endless stream of ideas for delivery and flow that holds nothing back. The use of reverb, voice modulation, sampling, pitch manipulation and scratching enriches the already individual experience as a tapestry of voices emerge in bursts throughout the record around his main vocal line.

The trio demonstrate their growing chemistry as all the ideas on this record come together so cohesively, Rides vocal performance seems to melt into the detailed, layered instrumentals. As per usual wide range of sounds come together in a mania of variety and oddities and once again they find their own dimension, this may be in part to the striking return of rock guitars that throw back to the debut Exmilitary mixtape. There is also a noticeable sampling and snippets of vocals and sounds from their older songs thrown in the mix, giving it a stronger link.

All in all, Year Of The Snitch masters the side of Death Grips I have not been keen on so far. Ive loved the band when they strike with a touch of groove and those banging percussive beats but projects like Jenny Death that steer away from this backbone have yet to dazzle. In this instance I think the group found a balance that really works and loaded it with a depth of texture that really takes up your attention when focusing on the details in sound. The atmosphere they create and what all that madness adds up to is a wonderfully odd and unusual, a cluster of emotions drifting through the cosmic void.

Favorite Tracks: Death Grips Is Online, Black Paint, The Fear, Disapointed

Rating: 8/10

Pusha T "Daytona" (2018)

Daytona is the first to be released from the so called "Wyoming sessions", another Kanye produced record with seven songs clocking in at twenty one minutes, adding up to "all killer no filler". This is Virginia Beach rapper Pusha T's third record, who interestingly didn't get into the rap game to his mid thirties. Its the first time Ive checked his work out, not a bad place to start! Daytona will be in contention for the best of the five Wyoming records, Its on par with Ye, miles better than the disappointing Nasir but Kids See Ghosts has to be my favorite so far, that record keeps growing on me with continual listens.

Daytona is a project all about the rapper's presence on the mic. Pusha T has a healthy toned and youthful voice that's well spoken, crisp, delivered on a steady, sturdy flow. There is a distinct lack of loud, obvious wordplay or an attempt to be overtly fancy with the rhymes or flashy. Its all focused on getting the fundamentals down and delivering the narrative which he does with precision. Initially I found his vocal clarity and plain flow to be dull but with repetition the power of his verses shines through with well articulated narratives and thoughts that creep up on you as familiarity sets in. His underplayed presence hides smart analogies, comparisons and clever cultural references that emerge with each listen as the words become better known. One of the more obvious accents to this record are the call outs to Hip Hops history. Pusha T interpolating classic flows and rhymes from the likes of Jay-Z and Tupac into his songs with tasteful timing.

Behind him Kanye throws together a collection of sturdy instrumentals that don't do a lot to dazzle the listener but they do hold down a firm tone and musicality for Pusha to make his presence known. The features help add some flavor and spice up the flow with addition voices and some well timed cultural singing from Mike Dean. My favorite moment on the record is when the two team up on "What Would Meek Do?" for a grittier, dark song where Pusha asks Kanye how he would respond to the hate and Ye drops in with a carefree "whoop... scoop... whoop... whoop-di-whoop". Its so odd but the timing is just right and it lets him roll into his response with a fresh, powerful energy. This record is fantastic, sturdy, bullet proof rapping that leaves you wanting more!
 

Rating: 7/10

Steve Roach "Dreamtime Return" (1988)

American composer Steve Roach's third major release, Dreamtime Return, has been lavished with praise, finding its way onto many essential listening lists, especially within the Ambient community. I share in its appraisal but must also put my trust in the critics who cite the records significance. The ideas on this record are not new to me, its execution however is stunning and to put yourself in the mindset that this is the first emergence of these new approaches to sound creates little more excitement. It barely elevates the already metaphysical experience at hand, which is truly transformational music at heart.

Temporal, meditative and deeply spiritual, the sonic pallet of spacey, exploratory electronic synths advance into the winds of life as the beating heart of mother earth pounds through slow, vast tribal drums and percussive instruments. They form a disconnected experience as their tempos are stretched by the lack of any measurable groove. In sway deep, engrossing sounds, phasing in and out of existence around the illusive anchor to reality. The atmospheres are large and engulfing yet with the percussive backbone they feel earthed by scale, as if primitive man gazes in awe upon the unending lands of earth he can explore eternally.

It is simple to dissect and understand the musics formula yet the power and persuasion it has over a willing listener is the work of a master. Dreamtime Return lasts over two hours and there are some sections that will appeal more than others but its length is testament to the metamorphosis it takes into the roots of our culture-less heritage. In my personal experience I see baking red deserts, vast savannahs and tropical paradises, all beautiful and deadly, the life of an apex predator far from the emancipation of civilizations neutering.

The spiritual side, embraced by the sweeping, windy synths, induces a subtle psychedelic quality that make me think of native Americans on spirit journeys or vision quests, an intrinsically profound experience under the aid of chemicals. There is a strange sense of isolation within the music but it is not loneliness, the hypnotic nature of the record will let one find their symbiosis with mother nature and bask in the awe of insignificance we are as individuals. Where Structures In Silence gazed upon the cosmos, this record gazed internally to the core of our being.

Rating: 9/10

Old Tower "The Rise Of The Specter" (2017)

Our journey through the dark mystical realms of Dungeon Synth continues on and this thirty minute project split into two halves is a peach of a find. Hailing from the Netherlands this Dutch musician has been active in the past couple of years releasing many mini albums comprised of one to two songs usually ten or more minutes in length. Each record comes with its spooky artwork of high contrast, black and white imagery using ambiguity to evoke ancient nostalgia. This one in particular sets an unsettling tone, at first glance one might mistake the hooded figure for a tower next to the brooding castle. On closer inspection the ominous black circle in the sky gives one a sense of night time, as if the image as been inverted and the moon is now black, it sets a spooky atmosphere for the music that awaits.

The darkness of the music is not terrifying, or as mysterious as one might suspect, Old Tower is a uniquely meditative and calming experience as its slow, lethargic approach to melody soaks in its surroundings within a low fidelity, reverberated setting. Bold punchy synth tones loose their cheese in the wake of an aesthetic that's mostly akin to hearing a church organ from within the church itself. The naturalistic echo lets notes bleed into the space of a large hall and when instruments layer up their is an emergence of spiritual sound that becomes difficult to decipher yet heavenly in its presence. It takes on a temporal form so to speak.

The two halves of The Rise Of The Specter have clear progressions which we might normally expect to be split into individual tracks, I believe the split may take homage to tape nostalgia and the turning over of sides. Either way the songs go through obvious shifts and some passages drift from the power when composed with fewer instruments, many listens has worn them a bit thin but the middle phase of the first half is a prime example of the magic at work. Slow scaling synths churn over between distant choral voices and culminate to the menacing rise of a foggy, deep war trumpet, setting an unshakable sense of importance to which a second gleaming synth rises over creating an epic sense of scale.

The records vision is particularly vivid for me, on some occasions I see visions of vast ethereal forest and in overs its cliff side castles battling the walls of fog rolling in from the distance. It is however a truly Dungeon Synth sound and can aid ones imagination in visiting the places associated with it. This particular style however comes with a soothing pace, softness and meditative state perfect for a more relaxing and introspective experience that is rather unique.

Rating: 6/10