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Traces of Nothingness is the third album of Svartsinn by Norway's Jan Roger Pettersen, and the second on Canadian label Cyclic Law. After an excellent debut of droning and wavy dark ambient on Eibon records in 2002 (Devouring Consciousness) and a more abstract and in my opinion bit lesser album in 2003 (Of Darkness and Re-Creation), Petterson now returns with another excellent release, where he further develops his own style.
In typical dark ambient style, we are dealing with pretty heavy thematics here. If you're even able to imagine what nothingness sounds like, how then would its traces sound? Svartsinn's interpretation comes fairly close though, especially if you consider we might be dealing with a nothingness of the mind here. Sartre's quote "I knew it was the world, the naked world, suddenly revealing itself, and I choked with rage at this gross, absurd being.", printed on one of the beautifully layed out panels, illustrates the need for introspection, and for a purging of the outer world from the inner. The sadness and misanthropy that wafts from this dark music is the perfect companion to such a process.
The tracks are based on extremely heavy and deep drones, samples, occasional voices, and waves of synth melody that never become obnoxious, as is too often the case with some artists. Indeed, these melodies form the highlights of the album, such as in the middle part of "Lost In Reveries", and especially the superb "...But The Fire Burns No More", one of the most touching ambient tracks I've heard in a long time. The tracks on this album bring a variation and urgency that is much stronger than on Of Darkness and Re-Creation, which tended to fade into the background too often, especially for an ambient album. Bonus track "Emptiness Is Form" is remix by fellow artist Northaunt of "Form Is Emptiness", which originally appeared on a compilation, and it ends the album on a minimalistic note, in total conformation with the title.
There's not much more to say, other than that you should let the music do the talking. This is one of the finest dark ambient albums of recent times, and a must have if you don't mind too much negativity or claustrophobia in your soundscapes.
O.S.
In typical dark ambient style, we are dealing with pretty heavy thematics here. If you're even able to imagine what nothingness sounds like, how then would its traces sound? Svartsinn's interpretation comes fairly close though, especially if you consider we might be dealing with a nothingness of the mind here. Sartre's quote "I knew it was the world, the naked world, suddenly revealing itself, and I choked with rage at this gross, absurd being.", printed on one of the beautifully layed out panels, illustrates the need for introspection, and for a purging of the outer world from the inner. The sadness and misanthropy that wafts from this dark music is the perfect companion to such a process.
The tracks are based on extremely heavy and deep drones, samples, occasional voices, and waves of synth melody that never become obnoxious, as is too often the case with some artists. Indeed, these melodies form the highlights of the album, such as in the middle part of "Lost In Reveries", and especially the superb "...But The Fire Burns No More", one of the most touching ambient tracks I've heard in a long time. The tracks on this album bring a variation and urgency that is much stronger than on Of Darkness and Re-Creation, which tended to fade into the background too often, especially for an ambient album. Bonus track "Emptiness Is Form" is remix by fellow artist Northaunt of "Form Is Emptiness", which originally appeared on a compilation, and it ends the album on a minimalistic note, in total conformation with the title.
There's not much more to say, other than that you should let the music do the talking. This is one of the finest dark ambient albums of recent times, and a must have if you don't mind too much negativity or claustrophobia in your soundscapes.
O.S.