Arcanist "Zothique" (2026)

 
Despite a misfire on an unusual Avero​í​gne, French duo Arcanist return to form as one of the most exciting Dungeon Synth artists of recent years. Their Berlin School synth and visionary atmospheres spark again as familiar instruments conjures familiar mystiques. Xeethra opens up the record dense and mysterious. Its swirling winds shroud subtle percussive lines that give way to an ooze of lead melody. Exotic and grand, we glimmer upon an advanced paradise often secluded by desert winds.

The Death Of Lliotha and The Master Of Crabs play as otherworldly melodies, transcendent tunes evoking esoteric adventures through lush arrangements where every note feels intentional upon the next. Placed around Zothique's two ten minute plus epics, they provide a change of pace from these ambitious compositions.

Empire Of The Necromancers is a brilliantly suggestive title. Around the three minute mark, a sense of arrival meets a gruesomely sluggish, grisly set of dark synths. The deep pounding below seeding dread. At its peak we mellow into a curious game of avoidance, as if attempting to penetrate undetected. The aesthetic could be a snug fit for Synthwave. Visions of dystopian 80s movies come to mind. Sadly though, it never concludes this direction and fizzles out to recycle the atmosphere heard at its start.

The Dark Eidolon is the albums crown jewel. Starting with distant thunderstrikes, It's eerie crawl towards a menacing buzzsaw synth is utterly foreboding, foreshadowing the coming crescendo. Its midsection promotes its most engaging Berlin school drive. The energy is almost danceable. After some brief theatrics, a swift transition occurs. The beast has arrived! Mustered along by a spacious drum beat, that buzz saw riff reappears a scowling cry of graven Doom Metal riffage. After some punishing repetitions, It swiftly subsides into an acoustic echo of that lurching menace, feeling as if it might return again, but the beast retreats into its hole.

This is the Arcanist I adore! Although this may seem like a "safe" return of sorts, the familiar motifs and techniques carry such vivid power. There is much yet to be explored and Zothique does that again, another adventure into the enigmatic!

Rating: 8/10

Trollslayer "Pharaoh" (2026)

 
Trollslayer! Another anonymous bedroom composer with high output. A possible deterrent in a niche scene sloshing in low effort records. Despite that, its two tone cover mystique and promise of "Desert Synth", akin to Ziggurath, lured me in! I have to say it, I'm firmly impressed. Temporal transformation and sandy sightseeing aligned, Pharaoh plays ones imagination well. Consisting of mostly ten minute cuts, these lengthy atmospheres dwell like drones that initially feel simplistic but across its duration, evolve and venture with a gradual pace befitting of travel on camelback.

Across the record a variety of compositional ideas play out on that steady movement. In its best strides, wildly cinematic strings bloom with culture and grandiosity. One feel a nostalgic chill from Lawrence Of Arabia. Dark Ambience and the lurch of foreign dangers get a spotlight, as does some subtle toying with distortion. Kordan's Maze feels so befitting of its suggestive title. Led on by dexterous snake dancing lute, a mysterious theme is set. I'm particularly fond of the low key exotic percussion which has some unmistakably familiar tones to my favorite of Steve Roach's work.

Its concluding lull and dramatic swell plays gratifying. The closer, Heart Of The Pyramid, is a messy playground of ideas. Initially, it feels like an Eastern adaptation of a Symphonic Black Metal architype. Shrill guitars are ripped out with enough murkiness in the synths to carry a similar energy. Really clever production. The song meanders through all sorts of ideas, a trove of creativity seeming like leftovers melded together. Either way, its really enjoyable as is the entirety of this niche record!

Rating: 6/10

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