Showing posts with label Atmospheric. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Atmospheric. Show all posts

Friday 8 March 2024

Applefish "Luminous" (2023)

 

This third of three leaves me with less to remark but Applefish has caught my attention and made it onto my coveted Temporal Focus playlist. Luminous is a lighter companion, less suggestive of its theme despite the track titling signaling intent. Lofty ruminations suspend animation and linger within a sparkling display of apt synths and familiar ambiguities. Each song is a flavor of calm, occasionally drifting into serenity.

 A couple of tracks offer some curiosity and mystique but nothing dramatic. The opening Star Trails is my favorite, taking the slow elongated swell of these synth arrangements and gracing them with a looping melody that drags the soundscape reluctantly over a powerful yet subtly delivered chord arrangement. This level of craft seemed lacking elsewhere but each song works with a different energy.

Rating: 5/10

Monday 4 March 2024

Applefish "Astrosat" (2022)

 

Had I not discovered Pale Blue Dot first, I may have passed up this record. Release prior, Astrosat is milder affair, another set of Cosmic Ambience pieces that dwell on their initial offerings. Soothing, calm and tranquil in nature, its album art suggests a peaceful surrender to the stillness of orbiting a planet. Spacey synths, airy ambiguities and softly droning astral melodies, these arrangements revel in the present and persist with little in the way of dramatics. Snoozey by design, these peaceful ambiences seduce with slumber, a sense of ease and remaining present.

The closing Primordial Soup and Particles both liven up. Mechanical percussive whirls and expansive synth melodies, a hastening of pace that exits this serene setting on an obscure note. Only Into The Aether toyed with unease and tension. Its slight eeriness is a delight, as if on the cusp of curiosity that might suddenly sour. It was my favorite among these stellar temporal tunes. I'm glad I gave this one a go!

Rating: 5/10

Monday 26 February 2024

Applefish "Pale Blue Dot" (2023)

Another champion of Spotify's algorithm, Applefish's astronautical perspective immediately captivated my attention. One for my Temporal Focus playlist, these reflective droning ambiences contrast shimmering Ethereal tones with earthly sounds. From footsteps dragged across a beach, to trickling water or the chirping of birds, most these songs pair natural scenic impressions within suspended swells of lofty ambiguous synths that cast a memorizing calmness from even its tense outings.
 
The aura is impeccable, soft bass rumbles and airy voices drift through its drifting formless presence. Melody is absent, notes arise, groan and sink, yawning on temporal stretches. From dramatic to soothing, these captivating swells all conjure emotions fit for the overview effect its title suggests. Only its final track Return To The Tribute induces a cycling electronic melodic tune, which beaks the magical balance as it sees the record out. Pale Blue Dot has a powerful introspective spell to fall under.

Rating: 7/10

Thursday 22 February 2024

Darkspace "-II" (2024)

 

Surprise evaporates into disappointment. After a decade long hiatus, Darkspace mysteriously re-emerge from the void armed with negative two, a singular forty seven minute epic that adds little to their repitour. With a particular breed of cosmic Black Metal, this trio forge dense, unforgiving walls of bleak sound. A droning masquerade of astral oddities channeled through unsettling grimace. Condensed guitars thrum and whir in discontent, bleed with subtle stellar synths to brood an aesthetic mesmerizing an eerie embrace of the vast measureless void. From endless shadows, beastly groans and guttural howls malign themselves with steely tremolo plucked melodies, descending with a sinister stance. Powered on by shuddering, thudding sub kicks, the music groans, burdened by its union with the abandon of an infinite nothing.

The track is suited to ambient appreciations of its darkly flavor, maneuvering between mellowed lurches and impending brevity in bleak lengthy passages. The album feels like three distinct sections with intentional retreats from its darkest plunges. Despite this, the crawling pace didn't birth a sense of reaching anything climatic or conclusive. It simply arises, then sinks back into the black. Not to suggest the ride was sluggish, more of a suspended astonishment that never arrives. I recall being enthralled by their prior effort III I. After ten years hoping a return might one day occur, this record felt as if no time had passed at all, a very familiar sound reignited without a sniff of evolution.

Rating: 6/10

Saturday 20 January 2024

Ziggurath "True North" (2024)

 
With a swift and sudden departure from their prior Jungle Synth effort, Ziggurath pivots again. Now venturing on a chilly expedition, True North tentatively explores desolate atmosphere from a sullen, lone perspective. Glacial pace sets tone as broody bass synths, howling winds and distant gulls guide lonesome melodies on its journey. Pace is sparse, its ninety minutes frequently linger, drawing out its main sound design. The album sleeve feels fitting, a ghostly ship on a lost voyage, the lingering presence of icy death incarnate through a menacing skulls gaze.

Aptly named Hearthfire Inn, fire-crackles and lutes warm the bones, a refuge from the relentless frost that awaits. From here on, only glimmers of cultural instrumentation echo in the distant fog. Howling dogs, swirling winds and rehashes of its brooding atmosphere drag on. Through Halls Of Ruined Splendour offers shimmering sounds of wonder over the backdrop of crashing waves and the creaks of aged floor boards.

From here, iterations on the established sound design intensify, shying away from anything vivid, only offering glimpses of music to latch onto. Then Someone Dies offers a passing funeral dirge, a glum, drained march of sadness. The final track, True North, goes all in, attempting to offer a gratifying conclusion but coming up short. A surge of melodies underpinned by choral synths and soft organ hum doesn't quite land as intended, given the lack of build up to this final concluding moment.

Its obvious to see the intention here, to really lean into this chilling abandon. When giving True North little attention, its somewhat achieves this. Its sparse moments of melody and scenic sounds perk the ears but its sluggish pace and lack of animation doesn't carry much gravitas in the forefront of ones attention. Curation and more musicality could of elevated its presence. Otherwise, this is a soft miss to my ears.

Rating: 4/10

Tuesday 17 October 2023

S1gns Of L1fe "The Age Of Cymatics" (2021)

 

This entry serves has a marker of discovery, a favored familiar frontier, voyaged by an artist exploring that magical space between distant stars and our imaginations. Cosmic Ambience, as I've come to call it, the space inspired synth style mastered by Dreamstate Logic, which became an obsession last year. Spotify's algorithms has finally steered me on to neighboring territory. Signs Of Life, presumably using the 1s to distinguish the name, provides a welcome hour of lengthy tracks stiring temporal focus, through dense stellar atmospheres that calm and sooth in their droning.

To deter from my usual astral analogies, I'll get direct. Signs has an approach of intention. Its strengths emanate from visible synths arranged with character and purpose. Bustling on looping melodies, alongside sparse glitched percussion, little feels hidden. The craft doesn't linger in reverberations but strides inline with its projections. Although there is an apt amount of spacious echos for its aesthetic, the spacey mood is thrust forth by bold instruments resonating with one another. Airy pads and lofty synths are present throughout but serve more so as a glue.

I also suspect the VSTs behind this sound are similar, with some bass lines and other tones having an uncanny resemblance. Signs also loves the swells of reverb that shift the music into new phases. One can feelsa greater sense of progression and direction changing on these tranquil cosmic voyages. I'm pleased to have discovered more of this niche to add to my collection, its fantastic music for getting in the zone. This too joins the Temporal Focus playlist. Still searching for more!

Rating: 7/10

Monday 16 October 2023

Old Tower "Draconic Synthesis" (2023)


Esoteric, arcane and obscure, Draconic Synthesis engulfs us on a mystic venture the marvels of sound design. Tinkering and experimentation has led to fruitful explorations of ambiguous wonder, found in gaps between occult voicings, astral synths and ghostly reverberations. This new terrain still stems from foundations of old castly Dungeon Synth, Old Tower continues an intriguing evolution into dark ambience and soundscapes, while fluctuating to familiar footings on this entrancing forty minutes.

Heard through a candles flickering flame, wildlife sounds of night accompany a subtle tropical flavor on its lingering melody. A dusky opener signaling new sounds, Draconis Arcanum has beautiful balance. One could imagine it as the backdrop to a Diablo theme alike game. Ruins and Horned Glossolia ressurects this direction with its lonely steel acoustic guitar, followed then by Sacred Carvings. This song leans fully into this cultural resonance superbly, akin to Dead Can Dance's transformative magic.

Spirit Vessel has a similar incarnation, evoking forbidden spirits from the graves with classic dungeon dweller magics. Its a more "traditional" piece for this artists however the closing Crafting The Symmetry Of Aeons feels like their most ambitious work to date. With many distant clanks, rattles, drips and drops, ghostly voices breeze by forgotten corridors as the music strides into foreboding chambers of sequestered darkness. The emerging synths and percussion give one a sense of tainted triumph over what lingered before its arrival. The strike of a gong bringing it to a sudden close.

Rating: 8/10

Wednesday 13 September 2023

Annihilation Of Self "First Orbit" (2021)

 

In search of more meditative astral ambiences, Annihilation Of Self caught my ear with an eerie, uncanny familiarity. The culprit? Song two, Condensate, one of Spotify's algorithmically inserted tracks. It had weaved itself into the unconscious musical map. A curious encounter with this new venture into unintentional listening behaviors. Either way, the full album merited a go, yet didn't yield quite the magic I was hoping for.

First Orbit checks all the spacey boxes. Airy, atmosphere dawning synths and a whirling array of buzz saw VSTs are present. They build a dark, technologically inhabited environment, on cosmic scales. A dynamic flow of intensities weaves the glittering melodies of stars between harsher tones of endless void. Its scales against itself, keeping moderate tempos and ushering a songs feel through many apt shifts.

Its darker moments felt more captivating. The buzzing oscillations brooded a tense yet distant distress. Brighter melodies and upbeat motifs felt off in comparison. One notable balance between the two sung personal inspirations. Emma weaves in a bright yet mournful piano melody to ascend the stars with a beautiful sorrow. It seemed deeply personal to me, perhaps the name hinting at a story behind the tune.

Despite a plentiful amount of listens, I've found myself lukewarm on the record yet writing up a "review" of my experience has highlighted its merits with greater intensity. The issue feels like a lack of distinct melodies or moments to cling too, yet the overall tone has the spacey drifting feel I adore. Perhaps I needed more time with it. First Orbit has been placed on my "temporal focus" playlist. Maybe it will grow on me.

Rating: 6/10

Monday 24 July 2023

Godflesh "Purge" (2023)

 

Six years on from the remarkable inspirations of Post-Self, the Industrial duo return lacking a refresh in creativity. Purge echos their early 90s output. Harsh bounce oriented drum samples loop incessant. With a thud, thump and hammer, simple kick snare patterns drone in repetition. Over top, burly shouts ripple into the void and dissonant guitars toy with distressing chords wedged between chunks of dense meaty groove. Its forty four minutes explore these ideas rigidly, with little to break the norm.

This gives Purge a keen sense of self. A moody, downtrodden, alienated and grim tone to wallow within. Highly repetitious, barely shifting tempo or switching gears, each song grinds out its point. The later tracks delve into atmosphere with expansive reverb casting shadowy spells and offering respite from its aggressive counterparts. Its a subtle diversity yet never leaves this deeply troubled musical space.

Army Of Non raises an eyebrow for its inclusion of a classic Hip Hop sample "Check it out yall". Its nestled quietly in there, a throwback to Pure and Let The Rhythm Hit Em. Broadrick's affinity for Hip Hop never quite manifesting into something radical, remaining a warm peculiarity for fans like myself. This moment gave a glimmer of what might follow but as laid out its a consistently dark and dismal record retreading old ideas competently but leaving one with an appetite for revived freshness.

Rating: 6/10

Friday 14 July 2023

Carbon Based Lifeforms "Seeker" (2023)

 

 Thirteen years on from Interloper, now a classic in my collection, I wanted to hear if Seeker retains the infectious charm this breed of spacey downtempo ambient offers. With many consecutive spins, the dazzling repetition of whirling melancholic melodies did not meld to an intensity felt once before. Perhaps the familiarity dulled its impact. Seeker is loaded with wondrous music to inspire awe and astonishment, its astral evoking leading many compositions on a similar trajectory. Humble beginnings gradually bloom into emotional swells contemplating our mysterious universe and the roll we take within in. Far from existential, these emotive arrangements arouse a glorious curiosity, sparking the imagination on a galactic perspective whilst also reflecting inwards, as such incomprehensible scales often stir introspection.

Its aesthetic design and arrangement of electronic instruments is a web of details and intricacies one can get lost in. Timely reverberations and lofty tonalities feed into the themes tapestry. Human voices weave in on rare occasions, often with breathy wordless interpretations and an occasional hint of lyrics. The driving forces are its emergent key melodies and swells of percussion that amass intensity as peaks are summited in a songs climactic pass. Much of this could be applied to previous records yet despite similarity and familiarity birthed from my many spins, Seeker didn't resonate on that deeper level. Its a high bar to reach for and shouldn't deter from the soothing spiritual moods the music stirs. Definitely one for the Temporal Focus playlist!

Rating: 7/10

Tuesday 23 May 2023

In The Woods... "Diversum" (2022)

 

Reveling in glum and stormy scenery, drizzly guitars moan and slumberous singing swoons to be routinely assailed by gleams of heathen melody. Diversum is another glorious gallop through the rainy seasons of Scandinavian inspiration. Now three albums deep into Anders Kobro's unlikely resurrection of a historic yet niche Black Metal outfit, five years pass for In The Woods to return with a familiar tone and theme.

Exploring the relationship between shrill guitar distortions and dreary acoustic melodies, burly melodic singing and howling screams, careful grooves and flurries of blast beats, its craft is a familiar one. Ancient story telling and natural scenery, elicited through dynamics as plunges of aggression and abrasion sway in torment of its tuneful appeal, always sullen and bordering on the bleak. It allows for many a gratifying moment as relief from key persuasions that arise from gloomy tensions.

Occasionally they delve into the metallic fray, focusing on a grizzly groove or mean scream. Otherwise its best comes from the melancholic wallow as its uplift feels locked in a wet naturalist hardship. Overall Diversum has the lighter composition, yet an aching moody temperament. Kobro's tamed voice soaring is a beacon shining through fog yet in his stride, a uncanny Mastodon resemblance often emerges.

Despite a welcoming duration and competent execution, this one somehow shies from greatness as the dreariness drowns out the catchy music wedged between its dynamics. It doesn't fire on all cylinders. For all the welcome familiarity for a band I'm fond of, the spins started strong but waned as familiar footing fumbled to dig in deep. An enjoyable experience in bursts, but one that lacked legs to go the full distance.

Rating: 6/10

Friday 28 April 2023

Aaron Cherof "Minecraft: Trails & Tales (Original Game Soundtrack)" (2023)

 

Playing it safe and getting it right, Aaron Cherof, Minecraft's latest soundtrack composer, steps gracefully upon familiar foundations. With the last three installments, Lena Raine managed the burdensome task of moving forward from C418's iconic musical blueprint. She did so with a touch of magic, encroaching on a new wonder. Inspired atmospheres emerged, darkly yet gratifying tensions fit for nether dimension adventures. Gentle and dreamy surges of melody blooming from humble origins one Caves & Cliffs. And then The Wild Update, fusing hints of location and culture into the music for the discovery of new destinations, both ancient, dark and swampy.

Along with game ambiences, the inclusion of Pigstep and Otherside persevered with praise. Players now had new music discs at their mercy. Alongside the original twelve, they stood in equal brilliance. Relic is now the sixteenth record to join the collection. A reddish brown hue, light blue inlay an alluring look but does it live up to expectations?

Following firmly in Lena's footsteps, Relic works with the vinyl crackle, hinting a soft organic fidelity as buzzing synths resonate with shimmers of wobble and warping. It humanizes the key melody, which conjures Minecrafty spirits. Initially reasonable, it grows with percussion and variations on theme. The bass busies and drums increase complexity on path for a gratifying conclusion as underlying synths glow warmly.

A safe success and the same could be said for the other four overworld ambiences that make up this five song soundtrack. They follow a familiar format built by Lena. Pianos lead with lavish reverbers, building gentle, soothing ambiences that blossom with surges of lucid, ambiguous atmospheres bustling from beneath its main motif.

Bromeliad breaks ground a fraction, intriguing, as its main melody initially alludes. Sweeps of a piano chord get lost among the emergence of soft rhythmic percussive sway. Quite the build up, that leads itself astray as the musical direction pivots into a cloudy conclusion as airy synths and glimmering piano drips steal the focus again.

 Crescent Dunes could of been my favorite! A grand yet distance cram of shimmering instruments sparks a bold stance at the onset. Yet swiftly does the composition sway into familiar territory as pianos breeze in the winds of softly atmospheric synths again. It does find a charming passageway as rhythmic stabs of strings guide its ascending key melody. Not quite the typical characteristic for this game but it does work.

As I said in the opening, these new compositions play it safe, sticking to a proven formula and yielding competent results. There were a few glimmers of something fresh and distinctive on offer but always brief. If Aaron gets the chance to work again on the next updates soundtrack, I hope they get a little adventurous and explore their own musical flair could offer the games atmosphere and its passionate players.

Rating: 6/10

Tuesday 4 April 2023

Rune Realms "In The Wild North" (2016)

So far this journey has been propelled by sequential surprises, as scene setting triumphs in constructing naturalist and fantasy ambiences. In The Wild North is the first instance where much of the music drifts from its scenic powers into drab spells of soft instrumentation lacking a thematic potency its album title suggests. Its opening two tracks weave strong melodies into its web of chilled, shimmering instruments. Between lulls upon snow blanketed fields do surges of valiant adventure arise. Dancing melodies move with gusto among the castly brooding synths below.

An excitement short lived, the following songs meander into a string of uneventful quiets, resting on its icy tone. The pace is sullen and lingering, not quite luminous to paint the vividness felt among these soft temperaments before. Individually the aesthetic chemistries are pleasing to the ear. Collectively they amount not much as direction feels lost among these frosty enchantments. Around the mid point, one song, Discovery Of The Ice Chasms, does turn the ear. A shivery mortal danger lurks in the shape of its unforgiving terrain, suggested only briefly in its one minute duration.

Another short piece, Emerging From The Caverns gains a similar distinction with the sudden shimmer of animated melodies. The song names suggest directions I didn't quite follow. However these pivoting moments made intentions obvious. Perhaps I've been spoiled by other works, or maybe this one could grow on me with time. Either way, its pleasant stay didn't hit me quite the same as the other incarnations.

Rating: 5/10

Monday 3 April 2023

Dreamstate Logic "Starbound" (2023)

Since discovering Dreamstate Logic last year, the spacey music has become a staple in my streams. These cool, cold, cosmic breezes of astral ambience are pleasurable tone setters when focus is required. Starbound is the first new material beyond twelve or so other lengthy release. I wanted to give these seventy five minutes more attention but have since discovered its mostly business as usual. Not that business is bad...

The records instrumental pallet is somewhat indistinguishable from prior creations. This artist seems very much settled on stick to what works. Stellar drones and shimmering dreamy synths lay its atmospheric foundations. When pace musters, sequenced melodies and gentle arpeggios brood steadily among dense galactic reverberations. As momentum gains, its Downtempo inspired percussive lines take charge with punches, thuds, combined for satisfying kick snare grooves.

Most notable on Approaching Aldebaran, do drums and its general mood, slip into the enclave of Synthwave. The buzzsaw's make themselves known among sparse synthetic tom drum strikes. Its a subtle shift but about the only song that showed signs of somewhere new to stride. I did pick up a couple new favorites on the journey, to scratch the itch. Otherwise a fine set of instrumentals fit to serve its purpose.

Rating: 6/10

Friday 24 March 2023

Yagya "Faded Photographs" (2023)

 

I recall commenting previously that Yagya's music, a unique blend of dreamy Ethereal Downtempo ambience, had run its course with me. Still in adoration of the peaceful persuasion this composer casts, this newest installment commanded a curious listen. The soft sway of deeply subdued dub percussion meets a timeless array of cloudy synths again for another sleepy affair in the heavens. Business as usual, the sweetest of routines that leaves me with little to say I haven't already in previous posts.

Where Faded Photographs caught my ear was with its vocal collaborations. A real sense of intended chemistry emerged as these delicate, softly sung voices chimed in as if a new element of the Yagya sound. Its been done before but in a few instances, these unions with Bandreas, Benoit Pioulard and my favorite Saint Sinner, turned out a treat! The subtle saxophone expressions from Óskar Guðjónsson another delight.

With a rather constrained temperament and consistent approach to the composition of these eleven songs, the novelty wears off swiftly but a soothing charm does persist. The Serpent stands head and shoulders apart as the records best song. Grappling with foggy unease and eerie stresses, the chorus moves through gratifying shifts as tensions resolve and elevate with beautiful chord progressions. It commanded me to write this post! The record however did become a rather typical affair for a sound thoroughly explored already. I do still enjoy on occasion though, this was one of them.

Rating: 6/10

Sunday 12 March 2023

Rune Realms "The Stormcoast" (2016)

 

I find myself in awe again. Next on our Rune Realms journey I picked The Stormcoast. Adorned with a teal stone runic border and painted landscape of mountainous crevasse shorelines, my curiosity for a sea fairing adventure was both peaked and eventually satisfied. Led mostly by long aches of unmovable stoic string sections, accompanied by the soft, distant commands of horns, a mystic sense for exploration of the unknown is birthed. Unsurprisingly its themes echoed The Fate Of Atlantis, produced later but perhaps the soundtrack itself served as an inspiration.

With its theme suggested, the music herein fit the bill. Ones imagination will wonder through natural beauties, unscathed by man. Fantastical terrain, treacherous to traverse, yet gazed upon at a distance, from rivers, streams and coastal regions. Here lies no sea sickness, no sense of endless waters and torrential storms but a curious exploration of foreign lands inhabited by illusive natives who watch unseen.

Much of the record traverses the quiet and cautious. Meager in stature yet gratifying upon inspection, its miniature excursions are delightful, however can pass one by if distracted. Between its many soothing, calmer spells erupts the main theme of exploration and glory! These crescendos of strings, with the sounds of waves crashing and harp or flute melodies, converge to create grandiose magnetic spectacles. They command ones attention with their intense brooding and rock steady pace.

The Stormcoast is another remarkable chapter, found early on. It seems the what I would of hoped to be an evolution of the later records is actually here early on, the ability to lead the music into more nuanced spectacles. The melodies and progressions here work wonderfully with the aesthetics for some nostalgic sea baring that doesn't lean heavily on any tropes. Its really tasteful and so well crafted. Bravo!

Rating: 8/10

Monday 6 March 2023

Rune Realms "Seeking The Lost Castle" (2015)


As master of environmental ambience and subtle suggestion, I next ventured to Rune Realms' early works, to see how insinuations of castle era adventures would manifest. The distinction remains pervasive, a craft imbuing the resonant charm of aesthetics. Ancient plucked instruments, gleaming strings of awe and the foggy lurch of Dungeon Synth keys, all coalesce on spirits of lost majesty among mother natures beauty.

Its opener, Seeking The Lost Castle, dials up intensity and tempo as aching strings and mighty empirical synths cast light on the dawn of kings, queens and castles. Cinematic yet soft, a reoccurring brilliance of multi focal range for ambience and theater guides it well. Ancient Walls Of Stone plunges into foggy ambience at the other end of the spectrum. Between these, a range of varity keeps the music moving.

Its focus's shift too, the pleasantries of fairy-tale adventuring emerge through woodwind and plucked instruments. It arrives with a warm playfulness, protected by the innocence of youth, oblivious to the horrors of warfare that often accompany such places. Equally, distant calls of military and might can be heard when horns and fanfare arrive. Calling through soft murmuring reverberations, they seem like echos.

Occasionally, like on Forgotten Grandeur, tension and foreboding can take hold. Its a rarer occurrence that never veers into darkness and horror. Essentially, casting a rich spell of the era and adventures within from a safe and wondrous space. With its main thematic melody serving as both entrance and departure, the record has a keen phantasmagorical presence, as if conjuring a portal back to a lost moment of time.

Rating: 8/10

Saturday 4 February 2023

Ziggurath "Jungle Majesty" (2023)

 

From Desert Synth, to Jungle Synth, Ziggurath's exotic inspirations turn wet and tropical on this humble second outing. With this friendly incarnation of simple synth arrangements, the music barely resembles Dungeon Synth anymore. Jungle Majesty feels more like a homage to 90s video game soundtracks. With an "at your leisure" pace and ever pleasant mood, the atmosphere conjured is ripe for scene setting.

Further embellishing this era defined soundtrack design inspiration, the simplistic MIDI compositions run stiff with precise timing. Despite this "flaw", a selection of rich virtual instruments, cared for with soft space filling reverbs, somehow washes away that sharp digital precision. Even in its slower paced cuts, of which many have a tortoise like crawl, the aesthetic charm of its gorgeous tonality wins one over.

The song titles are fantastically suggestive, both complimenting imagined events within the game and finding a fun temperament to match. It doesn't lean to heavily into the dark, keeping its light hearted tone throughout. A couple of moments muster more musical layers into compositions with more visual gravitas on occasion. Again its a vague yet fond reminiscence of the worldly Dead Can Dance that can be felt.

The recurring use of some distinctive instruments further highlights the fantastic chemistry at work. Bongo percussion, lone tambourines and voicey choral synth conjure charm again, yet aptly repurposed to this new jungle setting. These new claims to Synth genres are somewhat futile. Jungle Majesty doesn't create new ground but certainly evokes a nostalgic presence fit for enjoyment once again.

Rating: 6/10

Friday 3 February 2023

Ziggurath "Tales From Southern Realms" (2022)

 

As Dungeon Synth ages, the potential for its maturity and new avenues of evolution is exciting. Despite the possibilities, many branches Ive heard seem a step in front of themselves. The notion and presentation exotic yet execution lacks musical vision. Ziggurath, and the notion of Desert Synth, initially seemed doomed to the latter.

Minimal use of rich tonal virtual instruments, sleepy tambourine and bongo led percussion, the unshakable humanistic choral synths. All too simplistic. My first impressions were as dull and lifeless, as the windswept dunes it was trying to sell.

There are still tracks who's spell seems absent on me. The incessant bird tweet on Assassins In The Courtyard an annoyance. It pulls me from the nightly Ethereal magic, brooding around the saw wave melody, which blossoms into an exotic mystery.

As familiarity settled in, the ancient dusky dune civilizations came to life. Steeped in cultural mystery, lost to the ages, the world building flourished with spurs of foreign instrumental chemistry akin to the delights offered by legends Dead Can Dance.

With ebb and flow, temperaments lull, then pick up pace. A sense of cycle emerges, the lively activity of daytime markets and trade, descending into night as the dangers of moonlit dunes sit softly in the backdrop, awaiting risky adventurous who tempt fate.

The brighter instruments highlight its potent melodies, forging a focal point for the records apt chemistry on this Desert Synth notion. In its calmer spells the minimalism feels lenient on the suggestion but its best sell are the bold, throaty, voicey synths.

They weave in a sense of ritual and spiritual tradition that illuminates a fantasy Egyptian alike culture with esoteric mythology at its core. This is where the record excels, a most gratifying component among a set of songs that work mostly for mood setting. The immersion doesn't quite grab you by the throat but the sell is strong.

Rating: 6/10

Saturday 28 January 2023

Rune Realms "The Fate Of Atlantis" (2016)

 

Seeking a record for the next step in our Rune Realms journey, The Fate Of Atlantis caught my eye with its soft pastel colors and suggestion of thematic departure from nature driven inspirations. The title too resonated, sharing name with a classic MS-Dos Indiana Jones game from my childhood. Had I payed closer attention to the attributions given bottom of its album art, I would of known the echos of that timeless, classic movie theme song, were not my own impositions on the music itself.

Upon learning this, the sparkle of adventure waned, as research revealed most, if not all, of the music here is built upon the MIDI soundtrack for the 1992 computer game. I was curious to see how this artist would handle myth and legend through the lens of a cultural, human setting. Instead, what was experienced was that of another. One I had technically enjoyed as a child, however, no dusty memories were unearthed.

The project, however conceived, has been a pleasant companion. Its shifts in temperament stir the spirits of adventure as moseying lulls and cautious tensions seem to hold over the mythical curiosity. Soft, luscious instruments gently guide one from mundane to mystical as its individual songs cut into moments of discovery and intrigue. The pacing is apt, a smooth, subtle journey conjuring great wonders.

Horns, strings, bells, harps and trumpets all have their moments, yet meld with a warm cohesion, giving the record an easy flow through its impressions both suited for ones attention and the background. The mystique isn't overt or over powering and perhaps suggestion has its power over where the imagination goes but overall its a fine experience for intended theme. A record worth returning to on occasion!

Rating: 7/10