Showing posts with label Neoclassical. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Neoclassical. Show all posts

Monday, 18 November 2024

Fief "VI" (2024)

 

I've raved about prior installation's of Fief's exquisite Medieval Fantasy compositions. Often a niche relegated to background music in RPG games, this artist elevates the sound of antiquated royalty with class. Armed with Lutes, Harps, Bells, Strings and Woodwind instruments, a whirl of jovial melodies rapture the halls and courtyards of monastic reign. Earlier chapters ventured towards natures charm, with softer tones cultivating meditative atmosphere. Over time, a sovereign personality has emerged.

VI arrives unchanged, locked in by dancing merry melodies and an eloquence befitting these nostalgic times' royal grandeur. Sadly, it leaves me with little more to remark on, a fine set of eight arrangements conjuring a soothing mood of simplistic pleasures, dance, chatter, fruits and wines in the presence of kings. With little new to offer, it swiftly becomes a familiar shade of music operating in the backdrop.

Rating: 5/10

Wednesday, 7 August 2024

Dead Can Dance "Spiritchaser" (1993)

 
After a stunning stretch of remarkable records, the Australian duo ventured on-wards one last time before parting ways. Fortunately they would reunite nineteen years later with the well polished Anastasis. Spiritchaser is the last album I'd yet to hear, a critically well received departure I find myself indifferent too. Remaining within the tapestry of Worldbeat aesthetics, they seem to take a new approach to song writing.

 Gone are the emotive swells, gallant melodies and esoteric leanings. Instead, a focus on plain, steady tones. Allowing for simplistic instrumental notation and brief percussive grooves to drone in repetition on top of foundations. Its subdued, simplistic and supposedly aims to find a meditative atmosphere in unclutter compositions.

So to do vocal performances feel restrained, intentionally softened. The cultural roots of fresh singing avenues possibly explain why. With dialectic inflections and native languages I'd not heard prior, the pair appear to aim for a less dramatized tone and certainly achieves that. In the apt setting, it becomes soothing background music.

I've been critical, Spiritchaser is simply a different beast, lingering in the shadows of a luminosity that came before it. The record does little to offend. Its sensibilities are calm, gentle and drift upon lazy tempos on lengthy durations. Highlights reside later on, with The Snake And The Moon offering a beautiful campfire at night vibe fit for tribal chant and dance. Perry leads the first half, Gerrad the second, shifting energies.

The following Song Of The Nile plays deeply cultural and subdued but houses the albums most animated passage as bells chime and some exotic sitar alike instrument offers up a brief but striking swell of musicality. However the rest of the record failed to make much of an impression on me. Maybe more time would strengthen bonds.

Rating: 5/10

Tuesday, 6 August 2024

Dame Silú De Mordomoire "A World Of Shadows" (2020)

 

 Introduced via an operatic indulgence on Erang's gloomy levitation Despair, I had to seek out the French singers solo material. Dame Silú De Mordomoire is not just a powerful voice but an enthusiast of Dungeon Synth, composing vivid instrumentals, melding melodic Fantasy and weighty Neoclassical into a Medieval nostalgia. A World Of Shadows plays through diverse shades of imagination, venturing upon unique constructs shaped by deeply dramatic singing. Its a worldly experience tinged in a lightly Gothic veneer. unlike much I've heard before it. Perhaps the esoteric leaning Dead Can Dance arrangements with Lisa Gerrard may come close.

Its strengths are varied, Fantasy elements toy in the dance of bright, playful instruments exchanging melodies yet rarely a fresh delight. Its the brooding stretches of dark and empirical tunes that dazzle. Grim Banners a keen example of militant led percussion heard before yet her deep bellowing voice finds a fresh touch of magic. From heavenly and Ethereal, she descends into solemn emotions, epic, sorrowful and weighty. On occasion, even turning to ghostly apparitions and Orcish growls.

Given the albums diverse nature, moods do chop and change, pivoting between songs. Subsequently its special chemistry in voice and instrumental feel fractured upon the records flow. I'm left fascinated by the darkly compositions yet stumped with a sense that a higher grandiose lays in weight. A strange reaction to such a stroke of brilliance with a stale genre. Maybe it speaks volumes to my personal fatigue, or perhaps Erang plucked some of that yearning charm on their duo Despair.

Rating: 7/10

Saturday, 3 August 2024

Dead Can Dance "Anastasis" (2012)



Returning from a lengthy sixteen year hiatus, no fresh spark of light, or flash of genius awaits us. Instead, Anastasis plays as an amalgamation of the duo's best cultural aesthetics and voicings. All eight songs bestow simple, gratifying song structures. Luscious clear instrumentation enables layers of satisfying melodies to link together on introspective meditations. Mellow tempos, broody baselines and aromatic synths let an array of worldly instruments peruse on flavorful, exotic paths.

From the offset, no distinct sense of historical or societal vision for these songs emerges. The vastness of Worldbeat influence converges on unique spaces, almost fantastical in their pleasing persuasion. A steady flow of tuneful notation, funneled through the sounds of distant instrumental heritage, lets their natural songwriting strengths become a dominate force, leaving space for imagination to fill the gaps.

The duo's voices still charm a delicate delight, another dimension of worldliness mysteriously woven in. Gerrard is exceptional, her performances on Anabasis & Agape help sway a deserty Middle-Eastern mystique. Perry on the other hand, a delight yet lacking cultural unity with the instrumentation. At times it as if the modern, spotless nature of its production holds back a clear vision. Perhaps a little lower-fidelity aesthetic could of enabled some healthy nostalgia. Either way, I love this for what it is. Fantastic songs finding new spaces out of old ideals.

Rating: 7/10

Friday, 5 January 2024

Love Is Colder Than Death "Mental Traveller" (1992)

 
Proceeding their sophomore Teignmouth, we embark on sullen strides of mournful brooding. Mental Traveller ventures into worldly vibrations, linked by language-less tones of morose suffering. A frequent chemistry between dawning strings and Susann Heinrich's burdensome singing, captivates a moody pre-technological tension. One will be transported with visions of rural hardship lived in the shadow of human sin. A sense of ancient culture and lost religion prevails through these belated downtrodden soundscapes. Perhaps an artifact of my imagination, their gradual groaning, building up to rigged percussive grooves, can't help but evoke this antiquated notion.

My main gripe with the record is its similarity too Dead Can Dance. Many ideas and paths walked feel closely modeled on their music. This feels most obvious when an occasional song shifts gears for uplift and reprise, a little tuneful medieval charm having the same tone and textures as the aforementioned. This is however what I have been seeking, Neoclassical Darkwave. Love Is Colder Than Death have just that. Their approach just lacks a distinction to provide conversation to the genre.

 The second half of the record pivots, Ralf Donis takes over, ushering in Industrial tinged drums that reveal their programmed nature. Like last outing, it leans Electro-Industrial on a couple of tracks, almost birthing some genuine fascination with a grim tone but falling short. Despite all my attempts, this one just didn't latch mentally. 

Rating: 5/10

Thursday, 7 December 2023

In The Nursery "Anatomy Of A Poet" (1994)

In seeking out Neoclassical Darkwave adjacent music, Spotify chalked up this Sheffield based duo who've been active since the 80s. Anatomy Of A Poet features Colin Wilson orating his own poetry in brief stints on various tracks. With its musical concept laid out plain and clear, I've found myself baffled at the disposition between his solemn glum voice and the stunning strings arrangements that meddle around then current percussive trends. Touches of Dance, Industrial and Trip Hop appraise danceable droning drum loops, as cinematic sequences of stellar orchestration muster an emotional elegance. This chemistry is one I've come close to discovering before.

As the album progresses, brief strides of classy composition break up its powerful percussive sway. Acute melodies, subtle chords, unusual instrumentation textures and flashes of electronics craft dreamy hazes that resolve into warming strides of persuasive sound. Then walks in the over pronounced tongue of Colin, his meaty, chocked words break the spell, despite it clearly being central to the records concept.

Arriving at The Seventh Seal, the pair stretch for ambiguous cultural sounds, a tingle of Spanish guitar, sung with a Country tang feels uncomfortable. The following tracks lean further into the poetic waxing and recurring themes has its entrancing energy wain swiftly. The funeral gloom of November Trees almost sparks a spell but the spoken words simply don't align. Its final track, unapologetically embraces the droning cheese of 90s electronic energy, throwing another curb ball to derail what started out as a wonderus musical experience.

Rating: 5/10

Tuesday, 21 November 2023

Love Is Colder Than Death "Teignmouth" (1991)

 
A recent emotional plunge had me engrossed within the historical worldly sounds of Dead Can Dance again. Now armed with Spotify's magical recommendation algorithm, I'm turned onto more Neoclassic Darkwave music. Capturing the feeling of pre technological civilizations, Susann Heinrich's renaissance inspired singing musters a familiar burden, the crushing weight of biblical shame and life's hardships our ancestors once endured. Its wrapped in unease and tension, as suffering and gloom penetrates these songs mysterious beauties. Questo Mostrarsi embodies this religiosity as its funeral organs resonate with the sins of humanity, a world view that once enraptured humans across Europe just a handful of centuries ago.

When incorporating percussion and keyboards, its performances are stiff and jagged, often breaking its own spell to some extent. Jolting hysterical sounds jostle in on occasion, as if to create a haunting vessel emerging from the shadows. Its bold edges are enjoyable when embracing its vision but much of this amateurish tonality seems so close to something stellar, had its production been more organically cultivated. These bold, punchy sounds further their presence in the records second half when Ralf Donis steps up, his stoic singing lingers in the shadow of his peer. More electronic sounds bustle in, Ralf deploying snarly sneers and groaned vocals which have the music bordering Skinny Puppy's Electro-Industrial with Chorn. The following Wild World has its moment as the two styles find a gripping chemistry together.

A common finality of curation comes to mind. Teignmouth engrosses one in a cultured, religious, historical worldly spell but consistency pulls us out as its stark execution breaks the magic. Caught between two ideas and lacking the finesse to pull it off, this sits with me as a flawed record that can be loved for Heinrich's voice who pulls us into its vision. With that, I am certain more spins would grow fonder, however I am keen and curious to go down this rabbit hole with new tools of discovery! Had to blurt out my thoughts and move on swiftly.

Rating: 6/10

Thursday, 11 November 2021

Hexenkraft "Gravity And Impact Volume I" (2021)

 

Within exception to the fifth of five tracks, this brief EP of two minute songs is quite the departure from the dark Synthwave sound Hexenkraft is known for. Still keeping its sense of diabolic mischief intact, the music pivots to a meld of momentous electronic aesthetic percussion and world building cinematic instrumentation. These brief encounters feel like an exploration into territory Ive heard with other artists before hand, an ambitious overlap between classical instrumentation, cinematic scores and lively yet ambiguous electronic production. The orchestration on Omega Arcane a keen memory of a style and feeling not to dissimilar from this one.

Retaining a little of its outer space evil chills, these compositions are grounded to earth by bold string sections, swells of horns and sprinklings of warm human melody. It feels at odds with its busy web of percussive noise that tend to equal the surges of sound its counterpart directs. The chemistry is just right, the two play off one another with tension and theatrics as the music ebbs and flows in a state of constant unrest. Quite the impressive step forward with more vision and image than melody or groove.

Its final song Light Of The Champion abridges the past with its arpeggio base synths and bright synthetic leads. With cheesy 80s synth tom drums it playing right into the Synthwave trope with not much of a connection to the chemistry heard in the four songs before. Perhaps it was the song that kicked off this new direction. Although brief in duration, this EP shows quite a matured evolution that I look forward to hearing more of in part two!

Rating: 4/10

Sunday, 2 May 2021

Anna Von Hausswolff "Ceremony" (2013)

 

Stepping backwards in time, we arrive upon Swedish songwriter and Organist, Anna Von Hausswolff's sophomore record. As The Miraculous hinted, the engulfing esoteric gloom and might of her burdensome terror had yet to emerge. Ceremony feels rather undefined in its direction, closer to musical traditions stemming back to the 70s with songwriting, moods and templates that are yet to diverge from common and folksy sounds. Darkness is the flavor she brings but in this outing its just a shadow of the witchery yet to be discovered, more of a still and sombre grayness gently cast.

Interchanging her operatic voice with pipe organs and an array of string instruments, these calmed song temperaments gracefully cruise by. The second song Deathbed is the one track indicating her future direction. Its bludgeoning Doom Metal drone and grating guitar chords spell horror between her voice and colorful organs giving pause for light. The record then meanders into a string of bare and minimal musings, before traditional elements emerge towards the end, tethered to her subtle gloom.

I could get deeper into the particulars, her voice and instrumentation echoing strong feelings from many a musical style and artist heard before but that alone was the key take away. Rather than striding into new territory with something to shock and awe, at this stage Anna was still finding her feet, writing wonderful songs that have been enjoyable and even moving on its better tracks like Ocean. Ultimately though, its all a bit infantile in the shadow that her future self will cast.

Rating: 5/10

Monday, 1 March 2021

Gazelle Twin "The Entire City" (2011)

 

Rolling back the clock a decade, here we have an inspired album that has had me assessing parts of the musical landscape I have grown to adore with Its place curiously poised between styles and artists. Debut record of musician Elizabeth Bernholz, who handles all to be heard, The Entire City is a curious record with echos of many threads, most notably the soothing yet esoteric electronic works of Fever Ray who has a not too dissimilar temperament from the obscurities at play here. They too toy with the unusual and spin its oddities into frame, becoming whole songs.

Elizabeth sings from an easy place, led with breath and softness, twisted by layered, pitch shifted vocal manipulations that bring her emotion to the center with an alien inflection. The instrumentals behind her are fantastic yet she dominates the focus with a performance reminiscent of fellow Brit FKA Twigs. Other heritages are present, the percussive arrangements echo tones of Industrial and electronic Glitch music in moments. Most notably in the opening track and recurring surges, a nostalgic sense of Neoclassical akin to Dead Can Dance can be felt driving the records arching theme.

In some ways its a typical Art Pop record, toying with the avant-garde and obscure, pining them on simple principles of enjoyment. Yet throughout, the songs flow from relative comfort to arrangements that pull and stretch at its fundamentals, dabbling in minimalism as the stark and bare of this sound is explored. In its more developed phases, simple percussive drives foster an array of quiet and meager synth tones that shyly dance in tandem with surges of synthetic bass wobbling beneath.

All in all the album has been more pleasurable with every listen. Its odd and alien aesthetic reveals a beating human heart beneath as its strangeness grows kind and familiar. Initially dark and shadowy, a warmth resonates yet most of that feels explored early on as its mid section pulls through some sluggish deconstructions. The shrill rising terror of View Of A Mountain reminds me of Nobuo Uematsu's more sinister songs from the Final Fantasy 7 soundtrack. Followed by the lone voice of Abandon it seems a strange bow out but again catches my ear for links that seem to be all over this record. One thing is for sure, I like it and will enjoy returning here from time to time.

Rating: 7/10

Friday, 16 October 2020

Taurwen "A Wind Blows From The Mountain Of Death" (2020)

Never before have I felt the chills of resemblance to my own musical output, Forgotten Conquest. In composition and temperament there may be some similarities but the distinction is virtual instruments. The luscious deep bellowing horns, serine yet sorrowful strings and especially the crisp, immaculate bright pianos. There tone and delivery so close to its intended form, catches my ear as the same set of tools I once used. This, Taurwen's debut album, suffers the same follys I too encountered in my amateurish pursuit of manifesting the music in my mind to something tangible.

Flirting with the lost, pale and bleak, its minimalism of lone instruments lay stark and bare, converging on occasions. Its rooted in repetitions stripped of charm by the virtual instruments cold, mechanic precision each string, elongated chord and piano note brings. Pitch perfect and identical in sequence, its atmosphere is cut by the sterility, barely blemished by soft reverberations and echos. The music rotates with such perfection that its meaning, inspiration and emotion feels lost without a human touch.

It is however clear whats aimed for here, a pry into a world of beauty and sorrow held in mother natures cold cruelty and majestic wonder. Its melodies stray and meander, forever wandering alone on the back of this illustrious sound of beautiful instruments with a glossy finish. Its songs open like windows into a moment of inconsequential scenic melodies, with a human presence, one of carved stone and overgrown vines. Some of the music is lone and linear, others richer with multiple layers of composition that too, together, feel naked and bare like a lost poem or faded picture.

Deep pounded drums are struck to muster the oomph for upheaval and building masked crescendos that never quite culminate. Its bells too are an interesting choice, cutting like a knife and often suddenly signifying the end as if a spell had been broken. Its hard to put a finger on this particular place. Caught somewhere between Dungeon Synth and the medieval Fantasy of Fief it certainly has a potential but I can't get past the image of notation on the piano roll, perfectly executed. Its best moment might just be Hum Of The Forest where things get muddied up in its layers of foggy ambience. That human wear and tear is what much of this record needs.

Rating: 4/10

Saturday, 3 October 2020

Anna Von Hausswolff "All Thoughts Fly" (2020)

 

Her previous ambition, Dead Magic, was a riveting record upon discovery. Since then its been a frequent return, always delivering its beautiful sorrow and engulfing esoteric spookiness. I brought All Thoughts Fly in the blink of an eye, not knowing it was not a typical release. Devoid of her captivating voice, the record is an instrumental piece, recorded entirely on a pipe organ. The initial disappointment soured my first few listens as I yearned for the music to give way to other elements. Having now grown accustom to its dimension, I hear the foundational building blocks of her "normal" music being deeply explored in the various moody temperaments this record offers.

Three to four of these seven songs explore a cold, glum macabreness. Funeral sadness and crushing sorrow permeates the room in the rich bellowing fog of a dense, burdensome organ tone. Its dark, lonely and tearful in its most penetrating moments. Sacro Bosco acts a bridge between halves. Initially mysterious, Anna uses stereo panned low notes over ambiguous fuzzy noise to build the song into a magical realm. Its quite impressive how this was done with just the pipe organ, however one can imagine reverberations, loop pedals and other processing tools may have come into play to forge such a layered and dense sound the music wanders into often.

This magical, esoteric side is better explored in the opening number. Whirling sounds of sparkles flutter by prodding instruments, bursts of notation climbing from rumbling lows to spectral highs in a cyclical nature. Its ambiguous and entrancing, yet its later spells, including the lengthy title track, tend to lull into a drone as its swirling, looping nature becomes jaded in its own shadow. It may move through phases but the unrelenting spiral of notes ends up becoming a heavy wash of background radiation.

There is an impressive quality to this record with knowledge of how all the mysterious, atmospheric and ambiguous sounds that emanate, came from a lone instrument. It sparks my curiosity. How many layers and plugins where used for each song? The depressive church organ songs clearly used less yet in some of the musics build ups there is a lot going on to digest. All Thoughts Fly possess some spellbinding compositions yet in its duration frequently becomes dull and droning in its final stretch. One can clearly hear the foundations of her unique music, the scope of which is greatly elevated by her voice and accompanying instruments. There is of course no reason not to pursue an ambition like this, however it didn't feel like it could yield anything being the normative scope.

Rating: 6/10

Friday, 21 August 2020

Lord Lovidicus "Midsummer" (2020)

 

  Its felt like a lengthy, patient wait but alas! The time has come again for another installment in the Lord Lovidicus journey. Steering further from Dungeon Synth and deeper into the Fantasy realm, another evolution in tone is of no surprise. Its aquatic theme, or at least my interpretation of Midsummer, has been however! Actually, many parts of it are comparable to A Vespera Ad Lucem but between passageways of temperaments listeners will be more accustom to are flourishes and swells of expression akin to Debussy and the Romantic era, at least to my limited perceptions.

The record has jollity and beauty in abundance. Long gone is the lurking mystery of Dungeon Synth darkness. These songs use luscious instruments and cheerful melodies to steer the music through warm hearted adventures of carefree Fantasy. Flutes, piccolos, layers of synth and tambourine lead percussion build up inviting and immersive atmospheres. The compositional balance is wonderful, repeating sections and simple woven melodies seem interspersed with lead instruments dancing on inspiration at just the right intensity to serve both background and forefront listening.

To my ears, the album finds constraints where the music is held back by its production and format. Some of those aforementioned lead instruments rise up and act like the songs voice. Too often do they feel held back by the time locked and rigid nature of virtual instruments. A little looseness would free up the creativity. Also the indulgent reverbs get a little overpowering when too many instruments are active at the same time. Jeux D'eau is a keen example of both, a beautiful song of instruments dancing on a whim, following heart and soul with a dexterous composition fluttering with complexities that sound cramped by thees issues, despite being utterly wonderful.

In my mind there is no doubt this musicians journey is going in the right direction. This latest divergence of theme is refreshing and the underlying components of skill and inspiration are yielding the magic as ever but as pointed out extensively, this feels like a moment where the technology holds back the music. That however has not held back my immense enjoyment of these simply wonderful starlight atmospheres that conjure underwater aquatic adventures in my humble imagination. Brilliant!

Rating: 8/10

Wednesday, 4 December 2019

Fief "V" (2019)


Chapters I, II, III, IV didn't break stride with theme, timbre or temperament and V predictably continues in the same vein. Twenty eight minutes of lush, indulgent immersion in fantastical themes of medieval nostalgia, majestic magics and natural beauty. Once again an identical pallet of keyed virtual instruments programs layers of melodies on a variety of stringed instruments and airy synths. Its underpinned by a soft a subtle pace keeping bell or tambourine offering little rhythmic value or variation. Its a dull element once you pick up on it, the precise nature of these instruments already holds the tempo perfectly in their electronically perfected execution.

Its a small qualm mainly focused on because I simply have little to say I haven't already. The song titles indicate the common themes with Citadels, Mages, Dragons and Bards so there is nowhere to look for something new. The songs are beautiful and luscious, purely pleasurable for transforming an atmosphere to a positive and magical one. It simply slips right into the discography as it's songs play with the same structures. Layers build up, unravel a little and build up again with nothing unusual or progressive taking place. Whenever I want these vibrations I simple put the artist Fief on shuffle. I think next time I'd really enjoy a change in tone or direction as otherwise it will be simply more of the same, which is not a bad thing of course!

Rating: 6/10

Saturday, 29 June 2019

Wolf Hoffmann "Headbangers Symphony" (2016)


There is not much for me to say on this record other than commending it on being a stellar execution of an idea many have flirted with over the years. Given the musical similarities between Heavy Metal and Classical music, not aesthetic of course, It is not to uncommon to see these worlds collide but what Wolf Hoffmann of Accept has done is tastefully unite crunching guitars and battering drums with its symphonic counterpart in a way that relishes the common ground. It will undoubtedly be more appealing to Metal fans as the aggressive instruments have a habit of dominating the synergy but the string arrangements and orchestra get to have a say in how these songs land.

The line up is impressive, not the most best known Classical songs but certainly ones from big names... Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Bach, Vivaldi and Beethoven to name a few. Most adaptations work on the darker leaning of Heavy Metal aggression but Swan Lake and the closing Air On The G String yield a classy uplift from his burly distortion instruments. Its actually what I would like to of heard more of as the likes of Night On Bald Mountain and Double Cello Concerto In G Minor lend themselves all to easily. Either way its a fantastic record, well produced with clarity in mind as the two worlds collide in style. A must listen for fans of both genres.

Rating: 7/10

Friday, 11 January 2019

Anna Von Hausswolff "Dead Magic" (2018)


This is my first record from Swedish singer Anna Von Hausswolff and It wont be my last! Her timeless vocals and meditative music an instant connection that's stoked the flames of emotion as her deeply resonate voice taps into the human life stream. She reminds me fondly of Lisa Gerrard who embodies worldly, cultural tones, however Anna has a voice that's strong, powerful and enigmatic yet caught in a blissful limbo of solace and sorrow. The music feels like the perfect setting for her haunting and grieving words to play out through spiritual, monotonous instrumentals that conjure earthly visions of nature alongside ambiguous echos of magical, evaded dangers. Its a unique cast of ideas heard in much of the music I enjoy. Here it comes together with a potent chemistry, a special touch that I simply adore.

The music has a fantastic droning quality, each song holds its moments together with a looping percussive momentum, letting shifts, turns and inclinations in intensity feel wholly natural and with true purpose. The deep pipe organs and embrace of droning synths smothered in reverb give each track its ambiguous belly as the drums come with tribal poundings to guide the flow. Rumbling, gritty, droning guitar distortions texture the mood on one track where another achieves this with acoustic chords and tambourine. String instruments weep there sorrow and synthesizers add to the Ethereal soundscapes along with many other sounds in the details.

The album starts in a warm place with a playful beat and two note melody guiding the musics into gleaming shifts of uplifting chords, chiming with her voice. The lengthy song collapses into an echo chamber of reflections as the pipe organ leads us to a dramatic and spiritual climax. It sets the stage for things to continuously darken as Anna exchanges her words between a gorgeously illusive and mysterious shimmering sound that drifts in and out of focus like a ghostly magic in the distance.

With Ugly And Vengeful we go on a dark journey, steadily descending into the depths on a sixteen minute epic that builds to an almighty, menacing atmosphere peaked by a unforgiving melody. The Marble eye is a beautiful pipe organ solo piece that gives one a sense of aftermath and loss with a creak of hope in its tone. The albums final track rolls out more of this feeling, bringing in her voice again with some wretched gritty noises of suffering buried deep under the organs brooding tone.

Dead Magic has been a recent addiction, a record I know I will treasure for times to come. A phenomenal spell is cast somewhere between her burdened voice and the brilliant instrumentals. With a meditative quality one embarks on a spiritual journey, each listen steers itself from knowing and embraces the abandon around her sorrow swept lyrics. It has a darkness far from evil or horror that's oddly comforting and unique given all the shades of shadows I enjoy. Wonderful record, would have been high up on My Top 10 Albums Of 2018 list. Now to get her other two albums!

Rating: 9/10

Saturday, 24 November 2018

Fief "IV" (2018)


A joyous smile swept across my face upon receiving news of this forth chapter by Medieval Fantasy musician Fief. Despite being a predictable set of instrumental songs, the knowledge of new music to command the imagination and transform ones surroundings was precisely what I was in the mood for. Seven songs, twenty eight minutes and illustrious harp-like instruments dancing in display, this newest installment leaves me with little to say I haven't already.

Once again we have uplifting melodies played on a variety of gleaming string instruments. Several layers of these form acute and splendid music that frolics through an innocence lost to time. Always keen of spirit and festive, Fief brings about visions of enchanted gardens, natural beauty and adventure without consequence. The wholesome melodies conjure our romanticism towards the best of kingdoms and landscapes lost to the perils of time.

Clearly composed with VSTs and a dose of soft reverbs, the crisp production lets the color of the instruments fill the spaces. A simple and pleasing construct for melodies one could imagine being played for kings and queens of forgotten monarchs. It is as keenly focused on one vision as its predecessors. No surprises. However the closing tracks guitars, playing in tandem, sparks a strong emotional reaction, perhaps it is a tad more exceptional than the rest.

Favorite Track: The Waiting Hearth
Rating: 6/10

Tuesday, 20 November 2018

Dead Can Dance "Dionysus" (2018)


Blessed we are to have another Dead Can Dance project on our hands. After a six year absence the duo return with a mid length, sweet and exotic piece of music. Its around seven songs split into two sixteen and nineteen minute tracks. Through the journey of this blog I have been digging into their catalog and unearthing several gems, Aion being the first. They compose and perform meditative, spiritual music inspired by historical, cultural and worldly sounds. Time has not been a hindrance, this release is fondly inspired and fit to sit among the best of their wonderful discography.

The first act is luscious, exotic and wild. A modern production doesn't particularly give the duo anything they couldn't achieve already but its crisp and silky aesthetic has the percussion popping. Earthly choral singing over viola strings sounds dazzling too. It has a warm climate feel that plays out with powerful melodies conjuring deep earthly moods, reinforced by vocal cries of emotion from under the building layers of exotic instrumentation. Its a very primitive and rooted experience, a scenic interlude of rain, howling and chirping of wildlife grounds the link between these songs as its final piece goes into a primitive trance. One can envision star splattered night skies, camp fires, ritualistic dancing and singing around the glowing flickers of flames.

The second act feels colder and humanistic, the pace and tone turn to a nightly setting and Perry brings mysterious language to his singing. Brooding cultural voices and dazzling melodies stir up a climatic build up on the following song. Its another engrossing atmosphere and then The Forest really throws things back in time with a warm, upfront and gently bouncing baseline giving the track a Post-Punk feel, going back to their roots as a band. The singing is gorgeous, enriched by worldly travel. Its the albums peak as the following song slowly winds things down quietly as the record drifts back into the shadows from which it came. Its a brilliant record that does the best of what these two are known for with exquisite execution. The inspiration is ripe and with that a wonderful thirty plus minutes of riveting music has been birthed.

Rating: 8/10

Saturday, 14 July 2018

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

Sunday, 13 May 2018

Lord Lovidicus "Saeculorum" (2018)


Upon seeing its sacred, biblical art album cover I was overcome with excitement, Lord Lovidicus has been one of the most interesting artists to follow over the years. Progressing from decrepit visions of mysterious, nostalgic Dungeon Synth, evolving the sound to lush and serine compositions of runic magic, his music has been painting vivid and uplifting visions of ancient cultures. That path is probably why I found myself instantaneously understanding what this record was about, its cover a perfect fit for the music behind the facade and an inspired step forward for the artist.

More than ever does Lord inch closer to the realms of whats unfortunately generalized into "video game music". To more accurately describe the style, its akin to scenic soundtracks of dragon-born kings and fairy-tale lands, the likes of Skyrim and the other Elder Scrolls games. I think Lord's vision here is more likely to be routed in the Roman era with the Latin title signifying the length of mortal life and its two songs, split into smaller tracks, Latin for gold and silver. Whatever its inspiration the music is majestic, yet cultured and very much romanticizes with a forgotten civilization.

With soft and simple stringed instruments, the cries of trumpets, horns and the occasional pounding of war drums, the opening track Aurum has an uplifting gleam of might about it as we travel on a timely adventure across lands. It climaxes with the wonderful Saturunus Dethroned, making its mark with an intriguing pallet of arcane choral synths that meld human voices with the gods, as if calling down from the heavens above. Argentum paints a similar cultural vision of splendid valor from the upper echelon of society, its glory and wealth soaring its way to the clouds above. That is just my interpretation, I picture scholars and politicians lavished in white robes, gazing on grapes, lounging in serine gardens as they indulge in conversation of primitive philosophy as adventures explore beautiful scenic lands off in the distance.

The aesthetic value of the music is carefully poised. It sounds fit for the rich and lavish production a studio budget could afford yet resides on basic midi tones dressed in soft reverb. Its just enough to capture the majesty the compositions behold. The music shines brightly through it with this pallet of instruments however it in some moments becomes crowded in layered crescendos and some lighter compositions like Rivers Of Nectar sound a little exposed when only two instruments are in play at once. Its nothing to complain about, the whole record is spell bounding with impressive song progressions and structures that show Lord is continuing to both evolve the sound and grow as a musician.

Favorite Tracks: Saturunus Dethroned, The Monad, The Divine Spark
Rating: 8/10