Tycho "Infinite Health" (2024)

  

This release marks a significant return to form. Recapturing the blissful breezy magic once felt on Dive, Californian producer Tycho seems to of found his unique summery vibes again. After a string of mediocre records, exploring unfruitful directions, we return to the soothing chilled out Downtempo charms of his landmark debut.

Indie guitar tone licks and colorful exotic saw synths entangle within a gorgeous production. Instruments come lavished in glossy reverberations, swelling with the musics momentum. Gradual builds of feel good energy pivot into salient melodies. Simple, easy and effective, often infusing brief repetitious grooves in their cadence.

 The percussion is class. A fraction Drumstep in tone with Downtempo intensity and plenty of variety in instrumental tones, Its unafraid of lulls and winding down. Its involvement is dynamic, ebbing and flowing with the overall vision, ready to step into the big clap kick grooves to emphasis a songs main stride and momentum.

Most of the potent melodic magic takes place within these firm rhythmic sways. Colored guitar licks have a habit of striking through the dense dreamy electronics like a human voice. Chanting simple mantras by jostling a handful of notes, its rarely a complex affair and its simplicity revels in the aesthetic chemistry. Its cloudy atmospheric layers border Ethereal at times, always nurturing breezy, clam energy.

Infinite Health brings out the best of Tycho again. Unfortunately, it falls short in consistency. Between well built songs drift in milder tracks exploring interluding temperaments. These toned down arrangements tended to dull the momentum, lacking percussive drive and a sense of destination. Its best songs are a delight, so not all is lost! There is plenty of feel good warmth to be enjoyed here.

Rating: 6/10

Oranssi Pazuzu "Muuntautuja" (2024)

  

Well accustomed with their hypnotic breed of abrasive psychedelia, Oranssi Pazuzu still play a class act to these ears. Muuntautuja falls shy of the powerful impact such an unforgiving delve into obscurity would normally bestow. Privy to their mania, the joys of fresh madness come from moments of relief to a seemingly unceasing nausea.

This latest installment toys with an Industrial grit, felt in its stiff mechanical pace and dirtied gristly aesthetics. Each song marches into a spell, grinding the axe through mesmeric repetitions. Dense webs of darkly noise amass to paint feverish sweats of isolated lunacy, a punishing tour through the cramp canals of mental derangement.

Not every song releases the mounting pressure. Sticking firmly to gritty drones of eerie discomfort, occasional magic emerges through glistening piano melodies and emboldened baselines flashing touches of groove. Often shadowy by design, the relief is a less evil that offers respite, only to keep one swelled within its teary darkness.

Hautatuuli steps back from axe grinding intensities to spin cinematic style horror scores to a truly chilling atmosphere. Its steady brooding intensifies into a angered rumble, restraining itself in contrast to the rest of the record. A keen highlight among a steady cruelty this harrowing trip through the shadows of the mind bestows.

Muuntautuja is brilliant yet familiar. Its aesthetic entanglement, an orchestration of menacing details, plays to great strength. The rountine drone of repetitious loops relegates much of its intensity to a familiar despairing mood. A few moments among its forty plus minutes elevates its magic for brief passages. Those were its treasures.

Rating: 7/10

Childish Gambino "Bando Stone And The New World" (2024)

What a glorious return for Donald Glover! Bando Stone plays a treat, a wild ride through a tapestry of sonic sound. Seemingly defying labels and convention whilst being pallet-able and poppy. Its refreshing, delivering unique fusions of aesthetic and composition from start to end. This feels like a passion project, birthed from free form jam sessions, capturing the snippets of magic and fleshing them out into exotic songs.

Opening with glitches, aggression and zany vocal manipulations, a bold tone is set yet swiftly we pivot into a heartbreak ballad, gracefully fusing the odd coupling of Soul and 90s Alternative Rock. Survive toys with Dream Pop vibes, Steps Beach croons into an acoustic lullaby, then we swivel again into a dark crunking Trap beat. Unsurprisingly energies shift once more with a lively The Prodigy interpolation of Breathe. A classic!

 

 This tone switching rarely relents, keeping listeners on their tones. Its a refreshing experience, full of unusual surprises and great songwriting. Layers of voicings natural and manipulated seem to be the recurring theme, lots of joyous harmonies permeate many a song on the record. Another through line are these brief interludes painting a picture of modern man stranded in the wild. Without the tools and skills to survive, the dialogs become rather comical, birthing amusing moments between the varied music.

The New World is a hard one to summarize with words. Put simply, it needs to be experienced. The music ventures into so many avenues, siring up striking aesthetics with charm. Donald's apt lyricism delights too, littered with social commentaries and cunning observations he delivers food for thought on rap verses and entertains with creative, expressive singing, frequently shifting into the higher registers, something I don't usually tolerate well. Here I adored the exchanges with his many guests.

 

Rating: 7/10

André 3000 "New Blue Sun" (2023)

 

A name that would forever manifest anticipation, the talents of André 3000 held promise, surely a musical gem in waiting? Many years on from his legendary career as the artistic half of Outkast, his return to music is a subtle one, venturing into mellow New-Age ambiences. His voice comes not through rap but woodwind as Andre expresses himself with flute performances that meander on free flowing journeys.

Clocking in at a meaty ninety minutes, these eight stints average over ten minutes in length but all share a common breezy ambiguity. Blurry forms, warm and resonate, yet illusive, express wonders lacking comprehension. A swaying mix of environmental sounds and flashes of dazzling melody, nothing concrete is ever anchored to. Instead we drift across moody landscapes in perpetual limbo, at the mercy of this whim.

Its hazy, fever dream nature and free forming spirit makes these songs hard to latch upon. On the journey, many moments of textural beauty and fleeting chemistries arise but they dissolve into the ambience. Each track boils down to that flavor, if you want its company for however long it endures. The two lengthiest cuts didn't do it for me but the rest served a peaceful, captivating New-Age experience, reveling in their own mystique. Its far flung from the rap record everyone wanted but why not? Clearly Andree had a different expression within him and its worth checking out.

Rating: 6/10

Turnstile "New Heart Designs" (2023)

 

Today I've stumbled upon a pleasant surprise, a trio of Turnstile songs re-imagined on this latest single. Teaming up with Badbadnotgood, the bands songs get reworked into dreamy mellow alternates. Turns out Yates' clean singing is a supple match for these Psychedelia tinged instrumentals composed of soft pianos and woodwinds drowning in reverberating ambiences. His original takes having an inspired, ample chemistry.

It feels like a happy accident, a curious collision that's led to reworking three tracks from Glow On in a complete u-turn. Mystery gets an airy treatment, a relaxing stroll through an ethereal garden that some how mellows out the stained shouts. Bringing in soft percussion, Alien Love Call turns Lounge in demeanor, squeezing in some free flowing Jazz improv jams between the main vocal sections. Underwater Boi looses me a little as things turn tripy and exotic. Still decent but dang the first two cuts are magic!

Rating: 3/10

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

Janelle Monáe "The Archandroid" (2010)

As both an actress and musician, Janelle Monáe is clearly an artistic talent beyond auditory constraints. A passion for cinema and theater permeates this blinding debut. I've been under its spell for some time now, losing track of how many spins have blessed these ears. Its charm resides in diversity, the execution enthralling. The Archandroid courses through cherry picked motifs conjuring remnants of musical greats yet harnessing them through a modern approach that brings out the very best of the territories it embarks upon. Its lofty, yet wonderful, concept stratifies the ages through an effeminate android who is sent back through time to encounter an unenlightened past. A firm premise for lyrical commentaries browing humanistic and social-political insights but for this instrumental mind, it served as the jumping off point. A freedom to move its stellar songs through the decades of musical evolution.

From the outset, its evolving themes are accompanied by cinematic transitions, pivots from soundtrack to contemporary and back again. Modern, popular verse chorus writing get seasoned by rich orchestration to tease the mind with its grand, visual sense of scale, fit for a movie experience. With its R&B and Hip Hop influences aptly deployed, subtle drifts into rhythm and groove blur the lines of ambitious distinctions. It allows one to enjoy the experience, engulfed in a diversity which astonishingly avoids any sense of "mash up", or "crossover", as picking apart its instrumental components reveals avenues of influences. However on occasion, its can be all to brash.

Make The Bus unapologetically reeks of Bowie. Come Alive shudders with a stiff brazen union of cheesy Horror aesthetics and British Punk. The two are my least favorite cuts, Mushrooms & Roses flirts among them with an obvious Psychedelic Rock pivot fortunately saved by the mesmerizing guitar lead that pulls the song through its own dreamy haze. Fortunately everything else is utterly fantastic, mostly ruminating on 70s and 80s Soul and R&B, mingled between its theater motifs. The influence of Outcast can't be understated, Big Boi turning up to feature on Tightrope. It has the The Love Below stamp all over it. Perhaps continuing where they left off, in terms of bringing together modern percussion and sounds decades prior.

Despite distinct influences, The Archandroid never loses sight of its own story. Staying firmly rooted, flowing through its motions to conclude on a high. BaBopByeYa brings out the finest of Janelle's range. Having been a continual source of infectious engagement throughout, on this cautiously unwinding track she soars to new heights. The swells of emotion are unavoidable as her rise to utter the title words have a focal gravitas. The instrumentals gracious deconstruction somehow illuminates the word building that came before it, as each violin, piano and string seems to echo the epic embarked on. There is more I could say but its seems I am still ensnared in mighty gaze, wondering when this magical adventure might exhaust itself.

Rating: 9.5/10

Arcanist "Hyperborea" (2022)

 

 Through forages of retro psychedelia synth know as Berlin School, and an artistic encroachment upon the forgotten dusty crypts of Dungeon Synth, Arcanist firmly caught my attention with their stunning debut Poseidonis. My knee jerk reaction to Hyperborea waned after a sour taste induced by spurious inclusions of esoteric Black Metal and sludgy abominably Doom Metal. As successive repetitions settled spirits across its four epic songs, I grew to love how musically ambitious this record is.

Unwilling to rest on laurels, Hyperborea brews its story telling with cinematic stride to journey vast and various musical landscapes. Unruly lulls of Dark Ambience hold over its forays into Medieval and Heathen acoustic folk. The aforementioned metallic spurts scale the summit as its valleys are navigated by captivating synth solos in the spirit of Progressive Rock. Best of all, The Coming Of The White Worm's plunge into the cosmic has another delightful reminiscence of my treasured Oscillotron.

A flow of engulfing atmospheric magic gushes forth, with sudden splashes of color, wild twists and dramatic soars along the way. Despite having different temperaments and aesthetics, the music is guided wondrously as these distinct musical spaces get woven together in a single narrative. It has the pay off only an album experience can offer as one traverses its eerie, bespoken wanderings into lavish drips of exotic synth. Ending on a loud and frightening conclusion, I am often startled, awoken to start the adventure over again. Its has been one of the best musical experiences this year!

Rating: 9/10

Blut Aus Nord "Disharmonium - Undreamable Abysses" (2022)

Not every band has to bring something new to the table, especially when in a stride most appetizing to the listener. Blut Aus Nord's latest rapture of nefarious psychedelic hallucinations was initially intoxicating but in the shadows of unflinching familiarity, tit turned into a moody slog of unruly madness, churning away in the background. That's not to be dismissive of Disharmonium, its charm simply wore off rather swiftly.

If not familiar with this sound however, it would be a welcome invitation to the maniacal delirium these French veterans conjure. Far evolved from the fundamentals of Black Metal, the duo compose unraveling sways of reality shattering sounds. Their unsettled atmospheres brood through melodies that slip through the fingers, melting away through pitch shifts as if physical reality is falling apart. Its a few keen ideas that foster this rich, dense tapestry of mental mood, always on an unpredictable move.

Slow and meandering, ever shifting direction, the percussion rarely holds down a groove or pattern for long. It too sways in stuttering intensity, following the cues signaled by its bleeding, oozing wash of melody. The duality is wondrous as the dark unrevealing of damaged consciousness is explored within bleak walls. Despite the record having a rather consistent aesthetic and tempo, the ideas explored are so well executed that its seven songs serve one continual plunge into the abyss of the mind.

I'd struggle to pick out a favored song, or even moment. It feels as if everything has been crafted to offer no anchor or reference points. You are always in the perpetual motion as demonic voices call from the depths of its lofty tone. So to do swells of high guitar notation sometimes puncture through, however its no bright guitar solo but often a breakout expression that is swiftly engulfed. I love the maniacal madness this pair have created, this one was fun but as described quickly lulled in its familiarity.

Rating: 6/10

Spellling "Mazy Fly" (2019)

Having been dazzled by an enchanting music experience with The Turning Wheel, this sophomore predecessor suffers the fate a shadow can cast. Its a notable experience Ive had on this journey when turning back the ticking hands of time. Mazy Fly has the same peculiar chemistry, a heart of soul espousing an eclectic convergence of styes and aesthetics. My lack of indulgence came about in its comparatively less nuanced approach. The brash 808 percussive pallet in the opening tracks exemplifying this bare bones feeling where the shades of chemistry seem obvious and separated.

Melted Wings brings out an of tune violin for an ambiguous dance into sorrows before being interspersed with spacey synth tones. Its a little unclear what the purpose is but followed up by more borderline cheesy, brash and bold synth tones, the melding of styles finds a spark on Hard To Please. Rubbing up against stiff percussion, its dreamy echoing Ethereal backdrop reminiscent of Julie Cruise finds much gusto as the strong synths bloom inline with Spellling's charming soulful singing.

For me this mid track was very much the albums crescendo, a peak reached that its successor cruised along. The rest of the record has these peculiar arrangements of Neo Soul, Chamber Pop, Psychedelia and Electronic aesthetics that don't quite align with the singing. The vocals swell with power and cower with breathy vulnerability but for all the orchestration animating away, It didn't resonate on the same wavelength as my first and powerful introduction to this interesting artist. I think I will leave the exploration here and keep an ear out for future releases!

Rating: 6/10

Arcanist "Poseidonis" (2021)

 

Fortune or chance, whatever your fancy, had me stumble onto this record that speaks to a particular niche I've been into as of late. Perhaps it is more likely this luck was bestowed by internet algorithms figuring out our inner workings from the mass of data our listening habits feed it. Akin to Old Sorcery and Jim Kirkwood, this French artist Arcanist steps right into a sweet spot, close to the middle of a cross section between the gloomy Dungeon Synth but more so psychedelic 70s Electronica. The latter here being described as "Berlin School" is something I will have to research into further.

For me, this record feels shrouded by its own mystique. Slow, brooding and atmospheric, the excitement of its animated crescendos feel sparse and rare. Their magnificence often eclipsing the magic of its soothing build ups which conjure a majestic calmness through luscious interweaving electronic instruments offering both texture and melody to engross with. Distilled in unsettled atmospheres of creeping mischief, its synth tones and keyboard notes echo a little in the vein of Progressive Rock, most notably a similarity to Contact and the nightly chill of Oscillotron.

Its two part, seventeen minute epic, The Death Of Malygris, bursts this welcoming temperament apart as we plunge into the horrors of nightly creatures. Woven percussion and dense buzzing baselines usher in nightlife Synthwave vibes, vaguely reminiscent of Dead With The Dead but vastly more artistic. Its a wonderful execution of elements that play out an eventful journey leading into to big thematic theatrics with its densely orchestrated introduction to the second half. Here, a brief crossover between the records opening vibes. It then dismantles itself into an eerie Black Ambient horrorshow.

Its final track leaves me unsatisfied, a curious experiment in tonality and melody, shifting from one distinct arrangement style to another, neither of which ever feel comfortable. It fizzles out to the fading embers of an airplane engine drone that ends quietly. As a whole, its a stunning adventure but one that ends with the adventurer lured deceptively, lost forever in endless caverns of ruin. On paper an intriguing way to journey a record yet for me it never quite works? A small quarrel, Poseidonis is remarkably wonderful album, a nightly, mysterious and esoteric journey forged through the fantastic tonal ideas of an era long gone by.

Rating: 7/10

Howling Giant "Alteration" (2021)

This four track EP has been somewhat of an obsession lately. Alteration is a sprawling instrumental epic of guitar led melodic grooviness! Its twenty minute duration graces us on a journey of progressive creativity, warm and welcoming as its mammoth guitar sound explores the rumbling depths of Sludge, Stoner and Groove Metal. Passing by psychedelic realms with a touch of Post-Rock scale, its elastication propels us from the crawls of swaying low end power up to the heavens of expansive lead guitar that swells with spacey melodies and colorful gleams of light.

Its twenty minutes breezes by with each of the songs working a deceptive linear direction as its recurring sections get re-imagined on revisiting. Its quite the feast as deep meaty bass lines, subtle chiming synths and dexterous drumming work around the guitars focal energy, livening up the stage and fleshing out this organic musical force. Its solo illuminate like a voice as its notations gush forth with a cadence reminiscent of lyrics being sung. Its not always in this vein but with surges it feels so.

Enemy Of My Anemone, to me, sounds like the telling track. Its opening lead riff and clever weaving of tune and rhythm feel strongly influenced by CKY... possibly? I am speculating and this is why I wrote about Foreign Objects two days back, spinning this one kept me thinking of Miler & Ginsburg's guitar styling. A Howling Giant is no imitation though, their identity feels rather distinct with its organic, warm and sun soaked temperament. Its a very welcoming style of Metal.

One odd criticism I've taken away is the lack of vocals. Often I am fine with instrumental music but something about these arrangements felt as if there was room for another, human, voice to chime in on the gorgeous weaving of colorful melody and swaying groove these numbers sail through. Other than that its a fine little record that sounds wonderful! Especially that deep bass rumble that comes to life when the rhythm riffs transcend up the fret board into lead licks. Its aesthetic is just right.

Rating: 6/10

Kid Cudi "Man On The Moon III" (2020)

 

Oh boy do I wish this album had arrived earlier in the year! I can't help but feel It would of made my up and coming top albums of the year list. Right now I'm intoxicated by its particular mood, an airy mix of club and urban street vibes, subdued by its laid back pacing and dreamy, psychedelic tinge. Records like this need time to mature and given how much I loved my introduction to Kid Cudi through Kids See Ghosts, a collaboration with Kanye West, I wouldn't be surprised if this one delivers its magic for time to come. After binge listening for days on end, it still has a sparkle.

Kid Cudi's voice is a charm, soft and moody, he drifts between casual R&B singing, spoken word temperaments and monotone raps all interwoven with spacey auto-tune both flavorful and expressive. Not one to linger to much on lyrics which generally go in one ear and out the other with me, I picked up an introspective individual reflecting on a moment to pause and expresses life with a kind warmness. Anchored to reality in its uplift and happier vibes, the music comes across with a slight sense of melancholy, humanistic and soulful, a connection to the reality that all good things come to pass.

The instrumentals compliment his tone well, these beats are tight and snappy yet spaced out with a keen sense of where silence has power, Quite often do they drop entirely for bars at a time. With a modern percussion design, one might mistake these drums for subdued Trap beats. Although they share some textural similarities the patterns being sparse and complimentary tend to serve the bigger picture, rather than dictate groove and bombast through the rhythmic drive. Behind them, bass kicks articulate the occasional melody and whenever given some direct attention one can really appreciate the art of subtlety at play on pretty much all these songs.

One number that stands apart is Show Out. Teaming up with London rapper Skepta and Pop Smoke it crosses over into Grime territory with a lively kick drum rattling off and grittier raps to lean on a darker mood. It slips in well to the overall tone which is more upbeat, led by Cudi's swooning sung vocals and synthetic backdrop. Many airy synth tones create these easy going atmospheres. Soft organs, choral voicing and all flavors of osculation in between forge a setting for subtle melodies to gracefully breeze with the easiness. A variety of instruments, pianos, guitars and keys give each track its texture and perhaps acoustic guitars that struggle most on Elsie's Baby Boy.

Somehow they seem to rub up against Cudi's voice, his held notes seeming off from the brightness of plucked strings. It illuminates that for all the praise, nothing is perfect. It seems wherever the main formula, which has plenty of variety, is strayed from, things don't quite hit the same heights. In praising the subdued percussion, the rattling Trap hi-hats of Sad People sounds a little grating. As an album it loads its better tracks in the front but given tracks are short and sweet, some not even crossing the three minute mark, its meaty eighteen tracks, just shy of an hour, it gets by as its weaker cuts tend not to linger for long. Given the mellow, indulgent fragrance of Man On The Moon III, it gets by but curation could of really elevated the experience.

Rating: 8/10

Old Sorcery "Strange And Eternal" (2019)

Every once in a while a record gives me writers block. Its as if I can't pinpoint where the magic emanates. It is of course from the sum of its parts but on this outing the tranquil immersion into this enchanted realm is so indulging the whole record seems sequestered by itself. Of course sitting down to write, giving focus and attention more of its elements reveal themselves and yet its strange atmosphere still mesmerizes.

 Old Sorcery's staple-mark whirl of psychedelia synth tones is as ever present and more involved on this outing. They embed mystique into scenic passages of warm and airy beauty. Its slightly estranged, with a ghostly, ephemeral charm falling short of spooky or eerie. With a richer set of instruments and layers its ambience feels more direct and involved as playful, mischievous melodies dance frequently in focus.

At the middle track rolls around the clouds are overcast as mood and temperament shift. It brings out a cryptic voice of esoteric conjuring, lurching discernible words from the shadows. The song pivots to a magical moment of colorful madness as echoing pianos and trippy oscilating synths dance in a spiraling tandem. That crafty voice returns again here, and then on its final fifteen minute epic album closer.

After a lengthy brooding of classic Dungeon Synth styling, the voice arises with arcane reverberations, reciting in a tongue and tone fitting of an occult ritual. I believe it is simply Finnish, the title translating to "The Sleeping King On Fire". As a non-native listener, the ambiguity stokes majesty within this deeply mysterious music. Its the one new element that really stood out among the endlessly entrancing normality.

I still feel as if this record is alluding me but whats obvious is with more involved instrumentation and less of a focus on ambience and atmosphere, both these aspects are enriched by the boldness it strides with. It occupies a friendly space yet is still shrouded in mystery. One of its best aspects are the pivots, when sudden transitions arise they feel rather integral to the overall vision and momentum this time out. This is one record for me to return to often as its magic feels rather untarnished.

Rating: 7/10

Old Sorcery "The Path Lies Hidden" (2018)

 

Another journey has begun, Realms Of Magickal Sorrow lured me in and now I've become obsessed with Old Sorcery! This fantastical fusion of Dungeon Synth and enigmatic oldskool Electronica is a fascinating one. Fortunately, there is more to be unearthed! Between albums are two twenty minute, one song gems. The Path Lies Hidden is the first and firmly straddles the line between halves, for almost its entirety.

Kicking off win the bass region with buzz saws and sine wave synths, the music resonates and rumbles as a rhythmic melody forges a path through the foggy ambience, a low distant humming. As it repeats over and over a variety of instruments play along, awaiting there turn like destinations on a cosmic journey. Crystallized synths and sparkling sounds dazzle in little eruptions of magic along the path.

As the pallet grows the music sways between its halves with cosmic synths dancing and playful Fantasy melodies chiming in. It even deploys those classic "strikes" of synthetic sound among echoing percussive hits like the pioneers did. Its a mesmerizing ride that comes to transition in the mid point, an unnerving darkness sets in as the repetitive melody is textured to a sound design less astral and cosmic.

In its final phase, the playful Fantasy melody returns to stay as we arrive upon our destination. Its a peaceful, charming place with a cold, lonely touch to it. Like a serine garden that's frozen over, Its beautiful but chilling and empty. The Path Lies Hidden is a powerful song with an indulgent persuasion that has made every spin a pleasure. It is currently my favorite song from this most interesting of artists in the genre.

Rating: 6/10

Old Sorcery "Realms Of Magickal Sorrow" (2017)

 

Dungeon Synth can almost seem like a cliche of itself at times. With the similarly Old Tower fresh in ones memory, the haunting grayscale cover, a gloomy castle and cryptic band logo sparked my amusement, especially the name. It was as if a "starter pack" meme had been taken to heart. This is no fault of the Finnish musician but having consumed an abundance of this music, its tropes are often laid all to bare. I'm glad I didn't pass it over, Old Sorcery does indeed have a magic worthy of attention.

Opening with its decrepit lurching synth and lonely washes of airy ambience drifting from its piano chords, the slow paced drawl of decaying nostalgia unfolds without surprise. Its atmosphere holds majesty and wonder, a sense of lost grandeur, magic and might, buried by time and dust. Its at eight minutes that the artists flair comes to light and a new dimension is steadily pried open with a deepening sense of wonder.

Reminiscent of Tangerine Dream, Jean Michel Jarre and the likes of early electronic acts, the hypnotic whirl of a lopping oscillating synth seemingly rises from the ashes. Although standing at odds with its stereo panning, heightened pace and differing melodic intent, its steadily gains a foothold with the contrasting sound. At this point a psychedelic journey has begun. Realms Of Magickal Sorrow makes its distinction as a record with something different to offer the Dungeon Synth scene.

It would be quite straightforward to deploy this technique of swirling synths, wavering in pitch and volume, to induce an entrancing temperament. Old Sorcery however redeploys the power of oscillated synth tones with powerful subtlety that clings so frailly to this hallucinogenic vibration. One can envision secrets kept in keeps of cold stone as plants and herbs, guarded secrets of an esoteric cult.

The second track, Vaikerruksen Portti, uses a similar synth setup to the first track but with laser zaps and more electronic instrument design accompanying it. Both halves go strong, the Dungeon Synth side toys with mischievous melodies in the forefront, backed by dark organs and deep choral voicings. Its a loud and powerful outing to play up the unique union. A Lost Soul Amid The Listening Trees finds eruptions of gleam and glory, horns and glistening synths dazzle between the long and yearning stretches of shadowy ambience. It has a foreboding presence devoid of electronics.

In A Forest Trapped, those glistening synths return for a sleepy track of yawning pace with a dreamy persuasion. It builds to playful melodies before we arrive at the final track, possibly my favorite. Further Beyond The Melancholic Horizon opens like an Old Tower track, deep drones of devilish dreariness, lost in the distances. One can hear the deep gong strikes and an eerie fuzz of ambiguity. Suddenly it gives way to a different composition, then taking a few minutes to arrive at the final destination.

The next few minutes ponder the infinite, the synths ripple into the void, minimalism and subtlety slip into madness. Its a glorious moment in a song that goes through some vivid transitions that work masterfully. I did not expect to find such a rich experience within this genre I feel can so easily be overplayed. Old Sorcery has brought a sequence of deeply curious ideas that play into the dark, spiritual, meditative flows I just love. With another two albums, there is more to discover now.

Rating: 8/10

Oranssi Pazuzu "Mestarin Kynsi" (2020)

Returning from a cosmic darkness of maddening psychedelic infused in the Black Metal abyss, Finish outfit Oranssi Pazuzu serve up another engrossing slice of darkly paranoid wonder. Four years on from Värähtelijä, the group return with six lengthy tracks of mystic torture and devine black magics. Atmosphere is ripe, the music brimming with thick busying layers of sound decorated with whirls of cosmic ambience between its pounding baselines, thick distortion guitars and aggressive instruments.

Toying with the listener through repetition, tension and menace brood as simple arrangements loop with a hypnotic persuasion. Between the cracks an eeriness lurks, croaks and groans are heard deepening the bleak persuasion as the music lunges into upheavals of spite and hate with the most harrow and distressing of tones amending its peaks. It does find balance however with a glorious sense of galactic mystique emerging through stunning synths. It gives balance to a challenging listen.

Every track feels fleshed out with a concept. Some central idea hinges and holds together an intense journey through the mental madness this band explore. In its best moment, Kuulen Ääniä Maan Alta deploys an utterly snappy groove to underpin its spat with the heavens. It births a strange dance of demons you could almost move your feet too. Followed by Taivaan Portti, my least favorite, abrasion is dialed up on an incessant drone that stiffens all the weird yet wonderful progression behind it.

The rest of the record is remarkable, a progressive journey with many a bizarre and curious assemblies of sound that suck the nectar dry on this psychedelic horror they incur. Front man Ontto deserves a nod for the utterly foul vocal performance. Regurgitating guttural groans are wrenched from within, delivered with a spite and hate heard through the bleak textures tortured from his chords. Its a style Ive grown bored of but when done right, its a treat. Great record, they have a finger on the pulse.

Favorite Tracks: Ilmestys, Kuulen Ääniä maan alta

Rating: 7/10

Grimes "Geidi Primes" (2010)

Time alone justifies these ten years of evolution leading to Miss Anthropocene. Its practically unrecognizable in this infantile form, even the gap between Geidi Primes and Halfaxa is remarkable with just nine months between them. A DIY enthusiast and bedroom producer arrives at a raw inception with some peculiar parallels with whats to come. As a first impression, I may not have perused this discovery further but luck luckily reputation and repetitious listens yields a strange charm emanating from this low fidelity affair of narrow dingy production and Etheral voices. Despite being a little stark in comparison to its follow up, I like Geidi Primes for its simplicity more so.

Every track deploys a thin, distant and monotone percussive beat on a short loop. It holds tempo, contributing to the aparent starkness of style. Other dingy, muddy instruments chime in with a lack of clarity. The lack of punch or reach for fidelity gives it all strange shyness. A fondness is birthed by Grimes's voice who starts of with basic echos on her voice, then progresses along with the record, layering up, becoming central to the music. Avi is a good track where she surpasses the production, her singing becomes a wash of dreamy, ghostly wonder over sheltered instrumentals.

A track like Gambang with its choked up acoustic guitar sample gives a sense of intention to the low fidelity aspect, yet on the other hand it seems almost amateurish, wandering in through lack of knowing any better. Its eleven tracks bumble through this strange dimension with their short repetitions droning into obscurity. Innocent, dreamy and flirting with a lonely darkness, strange just doesn't seem to justify the actualization. Is it accidental brilliance or focused vision? Either way I feel this record, despite seeming simple, has depth and with each session I enjoy it more so.

Favorite Tracks: Rosa, Avi, Venus In Fleurs

Rating: 7/10

Tame Impala "The Slow Rush" (2020)

With a simmering anticipation brewing, The Slow Rush has been warmly welcomed with open arms, taking its place as a glorious successor to 2015's Currents. This lengthy five year break has filtered out any mediocrity and filtered too us a fine selection of music to revel in. Although it may lack in any clear progression or shift forward in style, these twelve tracks sound like the sweetest fruits plucked from the crop of this particular chapter in Tame Impala's style. It's more of the best.

Given all I wanted was more of the same, I have absolutely adored this record! Its gorgeous, organic, oozy fusion of Psychedelic Rock and Electronic music is a textural lavishing of sound. Its mood particularly sunny and uplifting this time out, a spirit positive and reflective on the river of time. Kevin Parker clearly spends a portion of the record musing over changes in his life, growing up, moving on, embracing it all with a kind warm soul as he matures as a person and musician.

The way the album opens up is grabbing and immediate. A warped vocal manipulation get twisted into a melody and spliced with rhythmic timing, entrancing as the beat steadily fades in. It sets the tone of whats to come. Kevin deploys his uniquely soft and easy voice to effect with an expressive energy that boils every time it realigns with the vocal manipulation. In between 90s Dance pianos jives, a reoccurring instrument and synth solos embrace us for whats to come on the adventure.

 Moving throw its various shades and temperaments, bright punchy instruments stomp out grooves and melodies with a fun sense of freedom cruising alongside Kevin's charming reflections. Tone, texture and taste feel so effortless and freeing. The organic, oozy feel his music has is embellished through these sweet and succulent instruments. While it often feel thick and engulfing, a closer inspection of the layers at work are not all to complex. Its the way they come together that is wonderful.

I've enjoyed The Slow Rush immensely and will continue too but just like Currents I feel there is certainly some slower and calmer songs that may dull a little with time and repetitious listens. That is one strength the upbeat and catchy songs have that doesn't quite translate to its less energized songs. Either way its a stunning record delivering more of this stunning fusion, fueled by real inspiration and expression that is endearing and lasting. This could just be one of the best I'll hear this year!

Favorite Tracks:One More Year, Tommorrow's Dust, Lost In Yesterday, It Might Be Time

Rating: 9/10

Blut Aus Nord "Hallucinogen" (2019)

 French musicians Blut Aus Nord feel like a cryptic force you can rely upon to deliver esoteric Black Metal that allures and engulfs with its majesty. Thirteen or so albums deep into their artistic output, the group continue to forge intelligent music that is testament to their experience and yet still steeped in inspiration. Their Avant-Garde nature means each project spins a different wheel, their last effort Deus Salutis Meæ a maddening dive into Industrial and Noise. This time around the word traditional still can not be applied but their are echos of modern experimentation reminiscent of Batushka, Mare Cognitum, Chaos Moon and Oranssi Pazuzu.

A bleak smothering of dissonance collides with esoteric gleams of color as the rhythm and lead guitar duel in tandem. Alongside the rumbling rattle of vibrating blast beats they birth abstruse vibrato melodies flickering out from the churning wheel of thick distortion rhythm picking. The guitar work often alternates between conventional chugging metallic riffs and bursts of wavy chord dissonance. Its spellbinding, a roaring sound that moves like an amorphic abyssal movement often falling in to shape and form between stretches of spurious madness. Its lead guitar may even sound conventional or classic in phrases but its mastery of mixing and delivery yields it to this mysterious vision.

The vocals are a treat, on two fronts the same principal is applied. Its meaner shouts and gutteral cries bleed from the depths of a crowded mix, never encroaching the foreground. They arrive like a surge of energy from deep within, just adding layers to the hypnotic sound at work. Its counterpart can often be heard alternating. Also buried behind the guitars, spiritual choirs of monk like male voices call like spirits from beyond, sometimes so subtle they sound like a layer of keys added for atmosphere. Its arcane in nature, melodically savage and a touch psychedelic in places.

The band have forged another fine record, a solid seven tracks serving a sensational slice of something specific that's subtly sinister. Its cohesive and well crafted as the songs plunges you into its designed chaos. The musicians place careful moments of respite with acoustic guitars ridden in oozy reverb effects to guide you through its machinations of fiery madness and arcane wonder. It hits this note from the get go and every listen since has me concluding this is a fantastic record you can come to over and over again for its particular flavor of esoteric darkness.

Rating: 7/10

Favorite Track: Anthosmos