1888 is a collaboration between dark ambient artist Les Sentiers Conflictuels and traditional folk singer Andrew King. This album is a concept album, based on the history of Jack the Ripper, the infamous London murderer of prostitutes, and the letters allegedly written by Jack.

This concept is realised as a combination of spirited readings of the letters by King, and an elaborate series of ambient soundscapes. These soundscapes are based on dark synth waves and melodies, which sound more appropriate than you might think at first, because of their excellent sound. King's voice is often distored in different ways, and the soundscapes also show a lot of variation, with the heavy percussion of "Vapors" being the most extreme bit. Equally important is the inclusion of all sorts of samples and sounds (carriages, footsteps...), which, along with the letters, give the album the character of a radio play. And a brilliant one, at that, which perfectly evokes the images of some one of the darkest chapters of London history, in a modern interpretation, of course.

The result is an excellent piece of musical storytelling, and an impressive hour's worth of dark atmospheres. It is comparable in its sheer darkness - complete with perpetual night and eternally misty streets - to one of the many film interpretations of the story, From Hell, which featured Johnny Depp, Heather Graham and Ian Holm. If you've seen that movie, you've got some idea of what to expect from this album. If you've got a weak spot for cinematic soundscapes, the romantic side of the Jack the Ripper story, or both, this is a must have.

O.S.