Akhet – Akhet [discogs]

There are rare impromptu recording sessions where everything just comes together. Akhet is a result of one of those, an incedental collaboration by Paul van den Berg, Marc Verhaeghen, and Dirk Serries. The four long tracks on this LP released by Tonefloat clock to almost an hour, filled with quirky [...]]]>

Akhet

Akhet – Akhet [discogs]

There are rare impromptu recording sessions where everything just comes together. Akhet is a result of one of those, an incedental collaboration by Paul van den Berg, Marc Verhaeghen, and Dirk Serries. The four long tracks on this LP released by Tonefloat clock to almost an hour, filled with quirky electronics, soft drones, and frantic guitar work. Throughout these improvised tracks, there is a mysterious and at times psychedelic atmosphere vaguely connected to the Egyptian of the name of this project.

As has been noticed my man listeners and reviewers, there’s a distinct 1970s krautrock feel to this album, but at the same time, you can detect the evolution of electronic music in the way the synths are applied. As a result, Akhet doesn’t sound quite like any particular thing, including the other works of the individual artists involved. All tracks on the album are interesting and fascinating, but I have to mention the last one in particular, which has  superb frenzied electronic looping going on, an energetic and intense climax to an excellent album.

Dead Sons

His Electro Blue Voice – Dead Sons EP [discogs]

The Brave Mysteries label pushes its boundaries again with this 12″ EP by Italian band His Electro Blue Voice. Dead Sons contains lots of speedy rock, a punk attitude, nicely layered effects, all giving a full sound to the screamy vocals and shredding guitars. Powerful driving bass and drums round out the heavier parts nicely. At the same time, there are experimental parts, like the psychedelic flute-based ending of the first track, that add additional goodness to this record.

All of this just barely lasts twenty minutes, but that’s good at times, and an EP like this doesn’t outstay its welcome. A nice surprise this one, and a band to keep an eye on in the future if you’re into ballsy, experimental rock.

The Day of the Lord

Ur - The Day of the Lord – 060606 Session [discogs]

This 2010 release on Abgurd records consists of four tracks deep in the realm of dark ambient and noise. The long first track is based on low, deep rumblings, obscured voices, and other tiny variations. The second track slowly and convincingly builds up to climax in a churning mass of noise, drones, and distorted screams. The final two tracks are a bit calmer once more, with the final track being the most interesting, where a bass guitar line and screeching violin add a touch of occult rock to the album.

All in all, not a particularly special album, but it is reasonably varied in its mix of various industrial influences, and the atmosphere is nice and obscure.

detailed info: discogs.com

A new project from Finland is the duo Syven, consisting of A. Tolonen whom we remember as the main artist behind Nest, and Andi Koski-Semmens, a vocalist previously in Pantheist and Ereipia. Together they’ve put together a debut album [...]]]> artist: Syven
release: Aikantaite
format: CD
year of release: 2011
label: Vendlus
duration: 64:55

detailed info: discogs.com

A new project from Finland is the duo Syven, consisting of A. Tolonen whom we remember as the main artist behind Nest, and Andi Koski-Semmens, a vocalist previously in Pantheist and Ereipia. Together they’ve put together a debut album of five tracks in which they combine shamanic folk/ambient with light metal influences, and it follows in the line of their track “How Fare the Gods?” which featured on the compilation Whom the Moon a Nightsong Sings.

The main ingredients of Syven are comparable to Nest, in the sense that synths, the Finnish kantele, and skin drum percussion form the musical basis. Andy’s classical bass voice and the distorted guitar-like kantele sounds are new, though the album does feel like a continuation of or elaboration upon the music of Nest.

The first track, “Syvvys”, feels like a more ambient and ritual intro to the rest of the album, in which the second and third long tracks form the central part. These lengthy compositions have a level, flowing rhythm where all aspects of the music get a chance to shine, although at times the music fades a bit into the background as well, on account of the constant cadence. There are subtle changes in intensity in these tracks, and in the dense parts menacingly growling vocals can be heard in the background. ”Jäänkätkemä” is a calm ambient piece with just kantele and voice, a brief bit of respite after the heavier foregoing tracks. “Tuulenvire”, finally, is the coda to the album, where a stronger layering of sounds is again built up, as well as a threatening atmosphere and some samples of fauna and weather.

Aikantaite is an essential listen for those who are familiar with the music of Nest, but there is plenty to discover for newcomers as well. It’s quite hard to pigeonhole the music, because the atmosphere is somewhere in between. It has a strong tie on the one hand to a nordic shamanistic sound, but not quite in the way that some other bands do. The sound is a touch softer and more polished in a certain sense, perhaps also because of Andy’s velvety voice. Regardless, this own sound sets Syven apart from other projects, and you’ll have to find out for yourself if that’s a good thing. I certainly dig it, and Aikantaite is an excellent and original debut album.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. Syvyys (6:55)
2. Jäljet (19:22)
3. Ne, Jotka Selviävät Talvestamme (18:46)
4. Jäänkätkemä (7:45)
5. Tuulenvire (12:07)

detailed info: discogs.com

Peter Bjärgö is best known as the man behind illustrious projects such as Arcana and Sophia, but this brand new solo album of his is certainly not something to dismiss as a side project. Over [...]]]> artist: Peter Bjärgö
release: The Architecture of Melancholy
format: CD
year of release: 2011
label: Cyclic Law
duration: 40:19

detailed info: discogs.com

Peter Bjärgö is best known as the man behind illustrious projects such as Arcana and Sophia, but this brand new solo album of his is certainly not something to dismiss as a side project. Over the course of this seven track album, which stays close to a traditional LP length, Bjärgö explores a song style that is somewhere between ambient and darkwave, with a strong role for electric guitar melodies with subtle effects to give them a bit of an exotic touch.

The opening title track is perhaps closest to the signature gothic ethereal style of Arcana, with backing vocals provided by Ida Bengtsson. The rich, warm production bears that distinctly Swedish colour that we also find in lots of Cold Meat Industry and Cyclic Law releases. Percussion and heavy layerings are abandoned in the lovely second track, “Bitteresque”, which consists of just a minimal melody and brooding whispered vocals. We find similar calm and melancholic moods in the third and fifth tracks, while “Apathy” and “The Death of Our Sun” are full-blown songs again, with strong percussion, channeling that unique 1980s/1990s goth sound of inspirations like Dead Can Dance and Black Tape for a Blue Girl. While Arcana sometimes ventured a bit too close to such inspirations for my personal comfort, I find that this album avoids that pitfall for the most part. The long final track, then, is indeed a loop, a soft melody gently disintegrating, lulling the listener to the end of the album.

Not your usual Cyclic Law fare, this one, but a pleasant surprise for me. Nowadays it seems the goth scene is mostly about 4/4 industrial techno and fantasy folk, but The Architecture of Melancholy is the kind of music you could still hear often around the year 2000 in the clubs: dark, melancholic, subtle, and dreamy.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. The Architecture Of Melancholy (6:47)
2. Bitteresque (4:44)
3. The Hidden Compass (3:59)
4. Apathy (5:08)
5. A Wheel Of Thoughts (4:05)
6. The Death Of Our Sun (5:24)
7. Sleep Dep.Loop1 (10:12)

detailed info: discogs.com

I’m always filled with a slight trepidation when one of my favourite bands is releasing a new album after several years. Tenhi is a case in point, as I consider them to be one of the most original and [...]]]> artist: Tenhi
release: Saivo
format: CD
year of release: 2011
label: Prophecy
duration: 70:00

detailed info: discogs.com

I’m always filled with a slight trepidation when one of my favourite bands is releasing a new album after several years. Tenhi is a case in point, as I consider them to be one of the most original and consistently excellent exponents of the past decade’s neofolk movement. The beautiful Maaäet (2006) was certainly a marvellous album, along with its predecessor Väre (2002), where we found a perfectly original style and combination of guitar, drums, flute, piano, violin, and Finnish voices. Since then, the band has shrunk to a core duo, so it was a bit of a riddle what to expect of Saivo.

With some delays, the album is finally here, and frankly, it is not as surprising as it could perhaps have been. Despite a five year conception and a line-up change, Saivo is remarkably faithful to the style staked out on Maaäet, with practically the same instrumentation, style, and musical aesthetic. Nothing revolutionary in that sense, which might disappoint some people who weren’t that into the band to begin with.

Looking past that, though, Saivo is mainly a well-filled album with a plethora of compositional gems that will delight those who loved what came before. The misty piano ambient of the opener leads the way to “Pojan Kiiski”, which showcases the excellent song structure and rhythmic twists of Tenhi’s music. While the following tracks seem a bit less earcatching (growers perhaps?), “Haaksi” is a marvellously energetic piece of neofolk-rock that certainly ranks among the band’s finest songs. A flawless interplay of drums, string bedding, voice, and piano.

It’s all gold from hereon, too. “Surunuotta” brings some calm guitar and vocal respite before the emotionally intense title track “Savoie”, with its strong chord strumming and choir vocals. The mournful “Paluu Joelle” and swinging “Vuoksi” are further highlights. “Sees” starts with gentle piano and violin layers and more strong vocals, before settling into a calm acoustic fingerpicked melody that harks back to the earlier days when this dark acoustic style was just being developed. The final track is long and intense, with a strong contrast between the song itself and full ambient parts. Though less rhythmically challenging, “Siniset Runot” reminds me positively of “Rannalta Haettu”, that phenomenal closing track on the previous album.

Through focusing on refinement and subtle changes rather than stylistic revolution, Tenhi walks a safe path with this new album, but it is a very fine album nevertheless, and I haven’t even mentioned the stunning art direction and the special editions of this album, nor yet the 9 LP collect works box set that was released at the same time by Prophecy. On musical merit alone, Saivo definitely stands among this year’s favourite releases for me.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. Saivon Kimallus (3:40)
2. Pojan Kiiski (6:46)
3. Uloin (8:08)
4. Pienet Purot (4:18)
5. Sateen Soutu (3:05)
6. Haaksi (9:14)
7. Surunuotta (5:43)
8. Savoie (3:02)
9. Vuoksi (6:08)
10. Paluu Joelle (5:01)
11. Sees (4:25)
12. Siniset Runot (10:30)

Popping up during the last weeks of 2011, Little Winter has wormed its way among my favourite albums of the year in a couple of days. Behind this release are Michael Tanner and Aine O’Dwyer, who’ve played with United Bible [...]]]> artist: The Cloisters
release: Little Winter
format: Digital
year of release: 2011
label: Self-released
duration: 19:31

Popping up during the last weeks of 2011, Little Winter has wormed its way among my favourite albums of the year in a couple of days. Behind this release are Michael Tanner and Aine O’Dwyer, who’ve played with United Bible Studies, among others, and whose collaboration in this year’s The A. Lords LP was particularly beautiful.

Aine’s beautiful harp work opens the album, while Michael provides field recordings, vocal samples, and various instruments (organ, accordion drones, strings) to create a wonderful mixture of ambient and folky melodies that go perfectly with the weather and the dark days of winter. ”Hvislyse” again beings with a harp melody, a yuletide tune most likely, though I can’t for the life of me recall which. Doesn’t matter, as the duelling of low and high notes is spot-on, and builds the way for a mournful layer of string drones. “Pesta Komm” is a short coda of echoing bells, mysterious and cold.

Little Winter is aptly short, but precisely the ticket for your stay-at-home winter holidays. It might get cold outside, but stick this on and make sure it’s nice and cosy indoors, and you’ve got the perfect mood. Apparently, this EP is a precursor to a full-length next year, and I can’t wait until it’s there. Until then, make sure you pick this one up, as it’s pay-what-you-want for a high quality digital download to boot!

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. Sorgen (10:02)
2. Hvislyse (6:03)
3. Pesta Komm (3:22)

Three anonymous musicians gathered for this project on Brave Mysteries, which displays the virtues of that peculiar mixture of neo-classical, ethereal, and martial industrial made famous in the late eighties and nineties.

Main components of the music are [...]]]> artist: Rose Croix
release: Rose Croix
format: MC
year of release: 2011
label: Brave Mysteries
duration: 30:17

Three anonymous musicians gathered for this project on Brave Mysteries, which displays the virtues of that peculiar mixture of neo-classical, ethereal, and martial industrial made famous in the late eighties and nineties.

Main components of the music are synths and organs, percussion (mostly drums and bells), and the voice of the anonymous female singer, with an important role put aside for different kinds of effects and samples as well. The five compositions on the mini-album or EP all have a very strong theme of their own, and different perspectives. The opener is mostly built around vocals, organ, and drums, whereas the second track is a short instrumental in which the excellent percussion takes center stage, even providing many melodic elements.

The third track is a shorter, vocal based one, in which clever use is made of orchestral sample looping. The fourth track is the longest, and features a more electronic, driving beat, reminding me a bit of some work by labelmates Burial Hex. A most excellent track, very trancelike and catchy. The final track is another short one, focusing on timpani, voice, and cymbals.

As the label promotion points out, there are certainly reference points to be found for Rose Croix in the past: Dead Can Dance, The Moon Lay Hidden Beneath a Cloud, to echo two of them. I’d definitely add Sixth Comm to that list as well. However, I realise my surprise (and relief) that this style hasn’t been copied too often in recent years, at least to my knowledge. There is a significant risk of leaning to heavily on such illustrious forebears, but somehow Rose Croix avoids this. Instead, there is just the right balance between creating an own voice and incorporating great stylistic ideas from the past.

This ltd. 100 tape deserves to sell out quickly, as it should be of great interest to all the folks in the industrial corner with a bit of a nostalgic feel for this blend of sounds. An excellent first effort, and hopefully a precursor to new work which combines the current sound with a bit more avant-garde.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. (8:04)
2. (3:13)
3. (4:22)
4. (10:44)
5. (3:54)

artist: The Straw Bear Band release: Vexed Soul EP format: 7″ + 3″ CD-R year of release: 2010 label: Rif Mountain / Hobby Horse duration: 17:23

detailed info: discogs.com [1, 2]

This co-release from the English label family linked to The Owl Service features a very nice and short selection of tracks [...]]]>

7" cover

artist: The Straw Bear Band
release: Vexed Soul EP
format: 7″ + 3″ CD-R
year of release: 2010
label: Rif Mountain / Hobby Horse
duration: 17:23

detailed info: discogs.com [1, 2]

This co-release from the English label family linked to The Owl Service features a very nice and short selection of tracks by The Straw Bear Band (Dominic Cooper). It consists of a 7″ vinyl single, supplemented with a few additional tracks on a 3″ CD-R.

“A Lyke Wake Dirge” and “Nottamun Town” are both British folk classics, given an original and pleasant interpretation. The first track hobbles on at a brisk pace, utilising that unmistakable horseback rhythm in the percussion. At first it jarred me a little, such a driving rhythm behind lyrics that are so contemplative, but musically, it works very well, making it quite the catchy track. A similar though calmer rhythmic power is behind “Nottamun Town”, which has more of a swing to it.

3" cover

The tracks on the 3″ are less percussive in nature, focusing more on Jason Steel‘s guitar and Dom Cooper’s voice. Both “Black Candy” and “Go Dig My Grave” are solid own compositions where the power of the minimal folk setup shines forth quite well. The final track is particularly special though, as “Dead Souls” is a cover of the Joy Division track. However, the melancholic rendition we find here is a wholly different take on the original, and in my opinion at least as worthy as a song. Quite beautiful!

This EP in double format is short but rich in content, and certainly a recommended title if you are already familiar with the music coming from this group of labels and artists, but also if you are interested in alternative British folk generally.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. A Lyke Wake Dirge (4:29)

2. Nottamun Town (4:31)

3. Black Candy (3:12)
4. Go Dig My Grave (1:45)
5. Dead Souls (3:26)

detailed info: discogs.com

Lajos Ishibashi-Brons‘ project |˟˟| is back again this year, but with a new approach. Where his first three albums featured an eclectic mix of rock, industrial noise, and free jazz that was above all improvised, his latest album Deconstructed focuses [...]]]> artist: |˟˟|
release: Deconstructed
format: CD
year of release: 2011
label: Fluttery
duration: 71:08

detailed info: discogs.com

Lajos Ishibashi-Brons‘ project |˟˟| is back again this year, but with a new approach. Where his first three albums featured an eclectic mix of rock, industrial noise, and free jazz that was above all improvised, his latest album Deconstructed focuses instead on remixes/deconstructions of recordings from the sessions of the album Iterations.

While sitting down and treating improvised recordings to an overhaul entails the risk of losing a sense of spontaneity, the resulting tracks on this album are certainly not complacent and overpolished affairs. If anything, a good many of the tracks offer even more layering and sounds from many different directions than what we heard on the previous album.

Some tracks, such as the fourth, “75R”, are a bit more laid back, resting on a constant drone and with subdued woodwind improvisations on top. Others, however, dive deep into chaotic and dense compositions, with screechy loops, guitar and woodwind melodies nearly climaxing into cacophony. Overall, there is a pleasant balance between these extremes, and in this way the album combines tendencies that were heard separately on earlier albums, as well as adding a few textures that are only achieved with later editing and mixing.

As such, Deconstructed has a lot to offer to those who enjoyed any or all of |˟˟|‘s earlier releases, but if you’re a newcomer interested in highly experimental sounds on the borders of jazz and extreme offshoots of rock and industrial, this album is recommended just the same.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. 81U.R (6:30)
2. 55R (4:58)
3. 58R (6:24)
4. 75R (8:17)
5. 56R (10:00)
6. 67R (7:43)
7. 72R (5:10)
8. 65R (3:34)
9. 30 Seconds Of Silence (0:30)
10. 57R (18:02)

detailed info: discogs.com

It’s always a great pleasure to be able to follow an artist from humble beginnings to a wonderful present. Sand Snowman is one of those artists who I’ve been lucky enough to [...]]]> artist: Sand Snowman
release: The World’s Not Worth It
format: LP, 2xCD
year of release: 2011
label: Tonefloat
duration: 43:09

detailed info: discogs.com

It’s always a great pleasure to be able to follow an artist from humble beginnings to a wonderful present. Sand Snowman is one of those artists who I’ve been lucky enough to follow since the first release Moth Dream, five years ago. Since that time, Sand has refined his style of psychedelic folk to a high degree. His early compositions where a bit too incoherent at times, not all elements working together all the time, but this has changed in his latest few albums, all of which were excellent.

Two Way Mirror, released on tonefloat over two years ago, was already a great work, with wonderful experimental elements on piano and acoustic guitar, a mixture of song and soundscape. Last year’s Nostalgia Ever After on Beta-lactam Ring was an experimental return into the psychedelic folk rock territory of Moth Dream, but Sand returns to calmer shores with this year’s followup.

The World’s Not Worth It is an uncommonly strong work in itself, with a wonderful flow of atmospheres and melodies. The opening track is slightly mysterious and ominous, and sets the tone with a nostalgic combination of fingerpicked melody, flute, and Moonswift‘s dreamy vocals. “Ice and Rainbows” adds gentle drums, bass, and a bit of electric guitar into the equation, as well as a longer, more drawn out composition, whilst retaining the original and magical mood. ”Under the Stares” shines because of its great piano work, comprising some wonderful improvisation as well as a very memorable returning theme. “A Life Rehearsed” once again features Steven Wilson on guest vocals, and it is the most traditionally song-like track on the album, a gently flowing progressive folk/rock track.

After this more intense central track, we return to a more contemplative mode with “Regal Season”, a great mysterious piece for piano, guitar, dreamy flute, and voice (Moonswift again), crowned by a fingerpicked solo near the ending. “Events in a Skyline” is even more wonderful, a tranquil instrumental mainly based on piano, with a distinct jazzy touch, opening up wonderful vistas in your mind. This is one of those tracks with a power of its own that’s always there, within the album, but also separate, as a work onto itself. The closing track adds a touch of psychedelic folk rock to finish the album off with a quirky touch.

Lots of words for the main album, which comes highly recommended for lovers of psychedelia and folk. But of course, there are some extras to this tonefloat release. The LP edition comes with a bonus CD copy, but more importantly, the 2CD edition has a bonus album entitled Vanished Chapters. If it’s anything like the dreamy soundscapes of The Magpie House, which accompanied the 2CD edition of Two Way Mirror, it’s very much worth your time.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. Samhain Rain – Arise (4:05)
2. Ice and Rainbows (7:12)
3. Under the Stares (9:24)
4. A Life Rehearsed (6:21)
5. Regal Season (4:42)
6. Events in a Skyline (5:58)
7. The Rebel’s Rulebook (5:27)

detailed info: discogs.com

This project of Evan Caminiti (also of Barn Owl) and Lisa McGee has released one earlier album and one EP, but ultimately got my attention this year with this, the Pacific Fog Dreams LP. From [...]]]> artist: Higuma
release: Pacific Fog Dreams
format: LP
year of release: 2011
label: Root Strata
duration: 40:58

detailed info: discogs.com

This project of Evan Caminiti (also of Barn Owl) and Lisa McGee has released one earlier album and one EP, but ultimately got my attention this year with this, the Pacific Fog Dreams LP. From a project related to Barn Owl, one would expect dreamy, psychedelic music, and that assumption is warranted, although Higuma focuses exclusively on lush guitar and vocal drones.

A minimalism in approach yields a maximum of impact on Pacific Fog Dreams, where relatively simple tonal and chord progressions are transformed into fuzzy blankets of sound by a variety of effects. In other words, it is an exercise in utilising sound manipulation to create precisely the textures and timbres wanted to create evocative and atmospheric music.

The power of the music is therefore not only in the grand sweep of the sound, but also in the little details that strike you here and there. A small turn of voice or note can have a lot of power when it successfully articulates itself out of a dense wash of fuzz. Particularly the melancholy first track has quite of few of those gripping moments, and the acoustic outro on “Crystal Harvest” is another divine moment, perhaps rather unassuming in any other context, but perfect here.

Pacific Fog Dreams is an excellent LP for lovers of thick drones with a touch of the organic, the spacious, the aqueous. A moment of drifting and contemplation that’s simple enough to be accessible, yet deep enough to hold you for quite a while.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. Pacific Temple (8:18)
2. Burning Colors (3:59)
3. Morraine (6:13)

4. Crystal Harvest (4:37)
5. White Winds (3:25)
6. Solstice (6:01)
7. The Veiled Lamp (8:25)

Joy to the Person of My Love

This Rif Mountain 7″ contains a duo of interpretations of 17th century songs. Scottish songster Roberts has made settings of these tunes for voice, acoustic guitar, flute, and whistle, which form a nice bridge [...]]]> Alasdair Roberts & Friends – Joy to the Person of My Love [discogs]

Joy to the Person of My Love

This Rif Mountain 7″ contains a duo of interpretations of 17th century songs. Scottish songster Roberts has made settings of these tunes for voice, acoustic guitar, flute, and whistle, which form a nice bridge between the sounds of the renaissance and of modern folk stylings.

I’m particularly fond of the B-side “False Astronomy”, which has a typical melody which reminds me a bit of older Christmas carols. Probably not that strange if I am correct in my assumption that those originate in the same period. Regardless, Roberts’ deliverance of the poetry is exceptionally strong rhythmically and results in a rather feelgood track.

This is a short but sweet single that is sure to please folk lovers with a penchant for renaissance music.

Burial Hex – Eschatology I [discogs]

Eschatology I

Clay Ruby‘s Burial Hex project is generally a more than excellent source of music skirting the edges of drone, ritual, ambient, and dark occult moods, and this tape on his own label Brave Mysteries is no exception.

The 60-minute effort focuses on two long compositions. The first is “Twilight Visitors”, a piece which flows back and forth between raw pulsating drones and softer ambient synths, with a good balance between intensity and silence. Other elements include various warped voices, as well as multiple different modified synth sounds, resulting in a long ambient piece that rewards attentive listening now and again. You’ll discover something different each time.

The B-side contains a long mix of the stellar track “Book of Delusions”, which I’d already praised in my review of the album bearing the same title. This version is twice as long, but the beat is so hypnotising and the arrangement flows so seamlessly that these 30 minutes drift by before you know it. Marvellous work!

Haiku Funeral – If God Is a Drug [discogs]

If God Is a Drug

Haiku Funeral is a project operating on the crossroads of industrial, electro, dark/doom metal, noise, and ambient, and this third album of theirs is as diverse and hard to pigeonhole as that might suggest. The album lacks little in ambience, with themes of disease, drugs, darkness, and madness springing to mind quite clearly.

The musical diversity is both a blessing and a curse on If God Is a Drug. While the album is highly varied and not a boring listen, it seems to lack a sense of direction and coherence to some degree. Nevertheless, there are quite a few interesting tracks on this album, and they’ll probably be different for each listener. I’m particularly fond of the electro/industrial on “The Holy Connection”, and the Lovecraftian spoken word / dark ambient of “City in the Sea”. Other nice elements include oriental melodies on bass, the eerie female spoken word on “Bright Red Seeds”, to name a few.

An interesting album if you’re looking for something different and not afraid to cross genre boundaries multiple times over the course of one album.

Voice of Eye – Substantia Innominata [discogs]

Substantia Innominata

Voice of Eye is another one of those dark ambient projects that have passed under my radar for too long. This 10″ on the sublime Substantia Innominata series by Drone Records is only one of the more recent records in a career that spans two decades. Despite being smaller than an LP, this three-track effort clocks in at almost 38 minutes, half of it being taken up by the long first track on side A, “Vīrya”, a Sanskrit word roughly meaning ‘virile’. Despite its length and minimalism, the track impresses with its dominant otherworldly voices, which are compelling and ever-changing. Only near the end of the track do we hear a few other sounds from the dark ambient arsenal, a combination which continues over on the first track of side B, named “Dhyāna”, meaning meditation – ‘zen’ is the equivalent term in Japanese. The track slowly tapers out into soft, intermittent synth waves, maintaining the mystic, ambiguous atmosphere. The final track, “Puruşa” (‘the self’) is particularly beautiful, featuring a softer, gentler melody of synth waves, joined in the end by lovely drifting flute tones, slightly reminiscent of Tangerine Dream‘s classic “Sequent ‘C’”.

All in all this is a wonderful album, deceptively beautiful and compelling despite its apparent minimalism and limited spectrum of sounds. The physical manifestation is also great, as are all Substantia Innominata releases, but the artwork and vinyl (clear with warm golden streaks) are particularly beautiful on this one. Recommended for all dark ambient aficionados!

detailed info: discogs.com

Momick is a new project by Richard Moult and the bricoleur (Michael Lawrence) where they elaborate upon the mix of piano and electronic manipulation that we first heard on some tracks of Moult’s Ethe album. This style [...]]]> artist: Momick
release: Momick
format: LP
year of release: 2011
label: Bladud Flies!
duration: 36:58

detailed info: discogs.com

Momick is a new project by Richard Moult and the bricoleur (Michael Lawrence) where they elaborate upon the mix of piano and electronic manipulation that we first heard on some tracks of Moult’s Ethe album. This style draws upon an exaggeration of the reverberating and drifting qualities of the piano sound, which brings the music somewhere in between classical and ambient.

The melodic tone of Momick is often melancholy or oppressive, and far less bright and folky than the otherwise lovely LP cover suggests. The intensity of the effects overlaying the piano sound wavers, resulting in a nice tension between crisper parts and other moments when the sound is a thick, massive wash, with even an outburst of noise at one point.

Variation between movements is considerable, particularly with the addition of some guest appearances here and there, to wit the lovely oboe of Mark Baigent in the fourth track, and the singular voice of David Tibet in a particularly emotional performance on the fifth. Of particular note too is the sixth movement, with its delightful piano swells that form a melody – or rather, a torrent of chords – that is slightly more uplifting than the rest of the album. The long final piece ends the album as it began, with a more mournful cadence.

Momick is obviously a recommended album if you enjoyed any of Moult’s earlier piano works, particularly Ethe, which featured experiments in this more ambient/electronic direction. For that reason, the album might also appeal to a more general ambient audience who are open to some interstitial dark piano sounds.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. 3:46
2. 4:57
3. 6:17
4. 2:20

5. 5:43
6. 3:35
7. 10:20

detailed info: discogs.com

Recorded over then summers between 2000 and 2010, this eponymous LP is the definitive work (so far?) by The A. Lords, the duo consisting of Michael Tanner and Nicholas Palmer. A lovely five-track [...]]]> artist: The A. Lords
release: The A. Lords
format: LP
year of release: 2011
label: Rif Mountain
duration: 37:53

detailed info: discogs.com

Recorded over then summers between 2000 and 2010, this eponymous LP is the definitive work (so far?) by The A. Lords, the duo consisting of Michael Tanner and Nicholas Palmer. A lovely five-track EP already appeared in 2006 on the now defunct Barl Fire imprint, and four tracks off that release also made it to this LP, some with new names. Six new tracks have been added to fill out the album with more wonderful pastoral folk meanderings.

My verdict from five years ago still stands: this is gorgeous music that practically breathes the outdoors, the sunshine, and the Dorset landscape in which it was recorded. A wide variety of acoustic instruments gives each track on the album a unique palette, with many opting for sweet drifting melodies accented with staccato glockenspiel or dulcimer notes, besides the more familiar guitar sound, but also gentle organ drones, bells, toy piano, and the ever-present natural background sounds.

This LP is a compact album with a clear musical vision, and a perfect companion to  a day in the sun, whether it’s in summer, or a day like we’re having now: a crisp and clear October morning where the sun’s warmth is all the more welcome. Calm freefolk at its best, in other words. The lovely vinyl edition by Rif Mountain with its stunning stylised artwork only adds to the appeal. Limited to 250 copies, so off ye go!

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. Freohyll (2:58)
2. Mistress Chetell (5:27)
3. Summerhouse (5:16)
4. Crimson Rambler (2:23)
5. Of Wren Or Raven (3:48)

6. Skyclad In Pendle (6:27)
7. The Seventh Child (2:07)
8. Hopkin’s Lament (3:12)
9. Things Near And Far (3:23)
10. Pyewacket’s Nest (2:52)

detailed info: discogs.com

The US duo Obsequiae is a continuation of the earlier project Autumnal Winds, and with Suspended in the Brume of Eos (that last bit means fog of dawn, in case you were wondering [...]]]> artist: Obsequiae
release: Suspended in the Brume of Eos
format: CD
year of release: 2011
label: Bindrune
duration: 41:37

detailed info: discogs.com

The US duo Obsequiae is a continuation of the earlier project Autumnal Winds, and with Suspended in the Brume of Eos (that last bit means fog of dawn, in case you were wondering like me) they present their first large release, after earlier demos. While the band has its roots in melodic death/black metal, which is still the most prominent sound on this album, there is no doubt that this record carries a strong influence of mediaeval and early music.

Now, mediaeval is often a troubling influence in popular music. All too often the elements that have to lend something a mediaeval tinge are renaissance faire costumes, Olde English, and even a certain amount of drollness. In metal, things are hardly better, where these influences are generally limited to posing with swords and – dare I say it – lots of keyboards. At first glance, Obsequiae ticks a few similar boxes, with gloomy castle pictures on the inside of the CD, mediaeval European pseudonyms, and the lovely Lady and the Unicorn tapestry that graces the front cover.

However, on Suspended in the Brume of Eos the influence is more than skin deep, and that makes this album so powerful. Besides a selection of popular mediaeval interludes played on acoustic guitar that balance against the eight mostly high-speed metal tracks, we can clearly hear the influence of mediaeval melody and tone even in the latter, where the often dual lead guitars hammer out one brilliant line after another. Perhaps many metal musicians have often wondered how certain mediaeval tunes would sound played as metal, but I have exactly the reverse sensation with many of the tracks on this album. From the gently rippling lead from the title track to the slower majesty of “The Wounded Fox”, and many other bits in the album, it’s crystal clear that Obsequiae‘s music manages to be both: quick, technical and energetic extreme metal that is obviously from this day and age, but with resonances of ages past. Rather than just implying or even faking mediaeval influence through external means, this band was truly inspired musically by mediaeval forebears, even serving as a sort of missing link between then and now.

Apart from the general success of this approach, I simply have to mention the marvellous opening track, the relentless waltz of “Altars of Moss”. This track is pure gold from the start to its glorious finish with one of the best riffs I’ve ever heard. More general praise goes to the tight rhythm section, and the production, as this is one of those albums that proves that a good bass guitar sound is a valuable asset to a metal album.

This one of those metal albums that sound conventional on the surface but harbour a vast amount of sophistication within. If there’s any band that deserves the label ‘mediaeval metal’ (or as the promo notes have it, ‘castle metal’), Obsequiae is it. If these guys could serve up another portion of this the coming years, I’d be much obliged.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. Altars Of Moss (5:23)
2. Sidhe (2:21)
3. In The White Fields (4:10)
4. Suspended In The Brume Of Eos (5:43)
5. Wildes Heer (1:07)
6. The Wounded Fox (4:56)
7. Atonement (2:17)
8. Estas Redit (1:03)
9. Arrows (2:59)
10. The Starlit Shore (5:31)
11. Boreas (2:18)
12. Cabin Lights (3:51)

detailed info: discogs.com

A compilation dedicated to the long-standing Austrian industrial project Allerseelen is a very understandable thing, after over twenty years of activity in the European underground. Drawing mostly from the rich roster of Steinklang/Ahnstern [...]]]> artist: Various Artists
release: Mit Fester Hand – Allerseelenlieder
format: CD
year of release: 2011
label: Ahnstern
duration: 88:19

detailed info: discogs.com

A compilation dedicated to the long-standing Austrian industrial project Allerseelen is a very understandable thing, after over twenty years of activity in the European underground. Drawing mostly from the rich roster of Steinklang/Ahnstern label artists, Mit Fester Hand presents an interesting overview of Allerseelen work in varying interpretations, though mostly within the neofolk corner.

An individual treatment of all tracks on this compilation would be a bit too much, in my opinion, but there are certainly quite a few tracks worth mentioning on the CD. Not everything is very exciting, and the compilation has a rather unassuming take-off with a few average tracks, but the overall sound is constant and pleasant to listen to. In my opinion, things start to take off properly with the organ-heavy version of  ”Flamme” by Die Weisse Rose. The Blood Axis & Sangre Cavallum version of “Sonne Golthi-Ade” is also very nice, particularly because of the organic folk sound, and the typical mediterranean instrumentation we can hear on other Sangre Cavallum work. Larrnakh provide an atmospheric point of rest in the album with a great mixture of ambient and folk styles. Àrnica in their turn impress me with a very stripped down folk style that feels very ritual and intimate. One of my favourite tracks must be the surprising “Flama” by Der Arbeiter, a very well-flowing flamenco-inspired track. Also interesting – both kitschy and catchy – is the bombastic electro of Der Feuerkreiner on “Feuersalamander”. The Svarrogh version of “Heiliges Blut” deserves mention too, not in the least because of its playful nod towards NON‘s “Total War”. Closing off the album is obviously the title track in its Allerseelen version, a powerful track with beat and martial samples, dedicated to a radical self-transformation. A pity that the Von Thronstahl version of this track wasn’t included as well (released last year by Cold Spring on the Conscriptum compilation) as it too provides a powerful version of this song.

Though not everything on Mit Fester Hand is pure gold, I’d say it is a very honourable tribute to Allerseelen and an important part of any collection of that band’s works, as well as an interesting release to check out for anyone in the European industrial/neofolk area.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1 Ernte – Santa Sangre (Jodorowsky Mix) (2:10)
2 Tyr-Kreis – Ernting (3:34)
3 Haberfeld – Olle Lust Wui Ewigkeit (4:53)
4 Die Weisse Rose – Flamme (3:52)
5 Fanes – Sonne Golthi-Ade (4:14)
6 Sagittarius – Musa (4:31)
7 Scivias – Idun (4:04)
8 Fräkmündt – Firnföuskamerad (4:08)
9 Hrefnesholt – Herbstlied (5:34)
10 Ô Paradis – Marqués De Púbol (4:45)
11 Blood Axis & Sangre Cavallum – Sonne Golthi-Ade (3:51)
12 Sturmpercht – Sturmlied (5:24)
13 Larrnakh – Knistern (4:30)
14 Àrnica – Foc De Salamandra (5:11)
15 Klammheim – Allerseelen (5:23)
16 Der Arbeiter – Flama (4:53)
17 Der Feuerkreiner – Feuersalamander (5:05)
18 Cawatana – Alle Lust Will Ewigkeit (3:57)
19 Svarrogh – Heiliges Blut (4:40)
20 Allerseelen – Mit Fester Hand (3:40)

Burial Hex has been accruing a reputation in the (post-)industrial underground for several years with a considerable amount of releases, but for some hadn’t shown up on my radar in any significant way. This changed radically when [...]]]> artist: Burial Hex
release: Book of Delusions
format: LP
year of release: 2011
label: Brave Mysteries
duration: 32:24

Burial Hex has been accruing a reputation in the (post-)industrial underground for several years with a considerable amount of releases, but for some hadn’t shown up on my radar in any significant way. This changed radically when I was presented with the two most recent releases from this project of Clay Ruby‘s on Brave Mysteries, a publishing house that is rapidly becoming one of my favourites. The other release is the highly limited Eschatology I tape, which is excellent in its own right, and which contains an extended mix of the title track on this LP, the main attraction.

The four tracks on this stellar album run the gamut from what has been aptly named horror ambient by some, to bombastic compositions of a unique kind, as well as marvellous ritual electronica. The two opening tracks exemplify the first style, combining deep drones, piercing high frequencies that set an eerie scene, samples, and growls from the deepest infernal pits. The parallels with horror soundtracks are perhaps tangible, but the music is far more than stage dressing. Throughout these tracks we clearly sense the sophistication of Clay Ruby’s writing, with few repetitions and a flawless sense of flow.

“Crowned & Conquering Child” is a fascinating track, utterly uncompromising in its baroque layering of growls, howls, and wailing guitars over a simple piano melody and electronic pulse. Ever better are the choir vocals that truly take this harrowing track way out there.

If that wasn’t enough, the whole B-side is taken up by the marvellous title track, a stunning piece of ritual electronics, with a solid beat as its central element. Vaguely marimba-like synths provide a bit of a bass layer, and the melodic lead role is for electric guitar, and one with a distinctly spacy feel to it. Again, this is a work so well-assembled that length becomes a non-issue. Different instruments, voices, and percussive elements join in on the track at various points, and it never ceases to hypnotise. You can get a particularly good impression of the evocative power of the track in this video, where it is coupled with a scene from Fellini’s Roma: http://vimeo.com/20775822

The LP isn’t that long, but filled with excellent material by an artist that keeps pushing boundaries in modern underground music. Like many of his label kindred, Burial Hex has a unique vision and the daring to put it forth without compromise, and in this case, that all turns out brilliantly. This is certainly no music for the faint of heart, but will delight lovers of the esoteric, obscure, and intense.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. Final Litany (4:17)
2. Urlicht (4:59)
3. Crowned & Conquering Child (8:10)

4. The Book of Delusions (14:58)

detailed info: discogs.com

Wisconsin duo Joseph Taylor and Zavier Krall have been releasing limited edition albums as Rain Drinkers since 2009. Urthen Web is one of their most recent ones, and their evocative cinematic sounds have found a [...]]]> artist: Rain Drinkers
release: Urthen Web
format: MC
year of release: 2011
label: Brave Mysteries
duration: 32:05

detailed info: discogs.com

Wisconsin duo Joseph Taylor and Zavier Krall have been releasing limited edition albums as Rain Drinkers since 2009. Urthen Web is one of their most recent ones, and their evocative cinematic sounds have found a home on the Brave Mysteries label.

The material on this release sounds slightly lo-fi, which is perhaps why cassette is an appropriate medium for this album. The long “Strange Tapestry” fills the A-side, presenting a unique composition where brass, organ, clean electric guitar, and hand percussion are the dominating instruments. Rain Drinkers operate with a flawless sense of tension building and intensity, which is perhaps why so many other reviewers have made the link between this music and cinema soundtracks. Indeed, the horn/trumpet section at the start of the track does paint a bit of Morriconesque musical picture, though I would say that the band never leans to heavily on any of their influences.

The B-side consists of two related pieces entitled “In the Central Loom”. The first part starts with deep drones, out of which a great organ melody rises. Distant chants and sporadic plucked strings finish off this excellent section. The closing piece is based on gorgeous interleaved waves of lower and higher strings, free-ranging flute, and various effects, resulting in the most freefolk piece on this album. It’s moody, rich, and a great variation added to the end of an already impressive release.

It’s a bit difficult to pigeonhole Rain Drinkers’ music, as there are bits in there of ambient, but with lots of melody, krautrock, the aforementioned cinematic style, and all sorts of stuff. In this case it’s best to let the music just be the music, which is wonderful. Urthen Web is a bit less polished in terms of production than recent CD-R releases like the equally impressive Springtide which was released on Reverb Worship this year, but excellent stuff nonetheless. Another testament to the brilliance currently lurking in the US underground, which is being picked up by excellent labels like these.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. Strange Tapestry (16:05)

2. In the Central Loom I (9:25)
3. In the Central Loom II (6:35)

Marchant à quatre pattes au-devant de la rédemption

This debut full-length by Café de l’Enfer on Steinklang is a typical piece of martial/neoclassical as we’ve come to know it for over a decade. The album seeks to confront the listener with [...]]]> Café de l’Enfer - Marchant à quatre pattes au-devant de la rédemption [discogs]

Marchant à quatre pattes au-devant de la rédemption

This debut full-length by Café de l’Enfer on Steinklang is a typical piece of martial/neoclassical as we’ve come to know it for over a decade. The album seeks to confront the listener with the decadence of our age and ages past, drawing copiously from fin de siècle and interbellum imagery in the visual – mostly vintage pornography on the inside of the digipak – textual, and aural aspects of the release.

The music doesn’t really stand out from other martial projects that I’ve heard during the past years. The compositions are sophisticated but predictable, the instrumentation is a bit too synthetic at some points for my tastes. It’s certainly not amateuristic, but it is rather hum-drum. Some parts are certainly worth your time, such as the end of “La forêt obscure” and the threatening marches of the title track, but overall I didn’t find this a very exciting album.

It is interesting that the contrast between decadence and revolutionary order is such a recurring theme in music like this, because it sometimes seems to me that genre as a whole went from revolutionary innovation to decadent complacency and conformity. A pity. [OS]

Locrian – Dort Ist Der Weg / Frozen in Ash [discogs]

Dort Ist der Weg

An upcoming 7″ single by US guitar droners Locrian tackles a track originally recorded by Popol Vuh. The new version updates the krautrock classic to a rawer, heavier sound, infusing it with dirty and gritty guitars, and replacing the flighty female vocals of the original with subdued chanted variants. While I would be hard-pressed to say that this version matches the level of the original – parts of the excellent riffing and melody are lost in translation – there is something repetitive, plodding and typically Locrian about it that makes it a good listen nonetheless.

The single is backed with “Frozen in Ash”, another great piece focusing on raw drones, a bit of black metal styling, and a satisfying conclusion with rolling percussion and descending piano movements. In short, Locrian’s Dort Ist Der Weg is an interesting single that will surely please those familiar with the band, as well as an interesting introduction for those who are not. [OS]

Susan Matthews & Richard Moult – Music for Two Pianos Vol. 1 [discogs]

Music for Two Pianos Vol. 1

A recent gem from the network of small musical publications in Britain is this collaboration between Matthews and Moult, who sat down to improvise delicate pieces for piano. Now, I don’t have the musicological education to be able to place the compositions that emerged from these sessions in terms of style or even tonality, but based on pure feeling they are delicate and subtle, and very satisfying to listen to.

A bit like many of Moult’s solo piano works, the melodies on this album speak a unique language that is not directly referential or concrete. Sometimes they can set a mood of wonder or melancholy, but always at such an abstract level that they hold on to a certain mystic power. The seven tracks manage to hold on to a beautiful, calm flow for 45 minutes, and are highly recommended listening for anyone interested in experimental piano music.

Sadly, this one was limited to a mere 50 copies on Sonic Oyster records, so you’ll either have to look for a second-hand or mailorder copy, or wait for volume 2, which I hope is in the works. [OS]

Z’ev & Jason Kahn – Intervals [discogs]

Intervals

This CD on Monotype offers two live recordings by Z’ev and Jason Kahn in Switzerland, April 2009. While I was anxious to hear these gigs, I was somewhat disappointed by the result. While the experimental improvised percussion by both artists (with some minimal electronics as well) is certainly interesting, I feel it might have been more interesting to witness it live and up close than on a recording. That way you can really experience what it is they are doing and how they construct their abstract soundscapes.

As it stands on CD, the abstraction goes a bit too far for me, and without any visual cues or physical presence, the sound quickly lose their import. This is aggravated by the muddy, mediocre recording quality, which downplays the fine detail of sound that is an essential part of the value of experimental percussion and surely audible when one is up close to the actual performance. [OS]

Agitated Radio Pilot Retrospective I by Evening Of Light on Mixcloud

To celebrate the release of Light Beneath the Lake / Nothing Is Truly Lost (:EOL03:) by one of our favourite artists, Agitated Radio Pilot (David Colohan), we have [...]]]>  

Agitated Radio Pilot Retrospective I by Evening Of Light on Mixcloud

To celebrate the release of Light Beneath the Lake / Nothing Is Truly Lost (:EOL03:) by one of our favourite artists, Agitated Radio Pilot (David Colohan), we have compiled two retrospective cloudscapes with personal selections the artist’s back catalogue, and a couple of tracks from our own release, which is available now. Apart from :EOL03:, there will be a few more ARP releases on other labels, but after that, David is laying the project to rest. Another reason to look back!

This first retrospective contains mostly ARP album material, with a couple of tracks by United Bible Studies, and one from Holt, another band in which David was active. Enjoy!

00:00 | ARP | On Cape Clear | World Winding Down | 2007
02:05 | ARP | All That Fall | World Winding Down | 2007
05:16 | United Bible Studies | Tributaries of the Styx under Dublin | The Shore That Fears the Sea | 2006
11:40 | ARP | Inis Meain | The Rural Arcane | 2008
17:27 | ARP | Hold Back the Sea | Your Turn To Go it Alone | 2006
20:01 | ARP | The Gathering Dark | World Winding Down | 2007
22:22 | ARP | For Karen Ava | Peter Wright / The North Sea / ARP | 2005
25:54 | ARP | You Are Further Away From Me Now Than Ever Before | A Drifting Population | 2003
28:21 | United Bible Studies | The Lowlands of Holland | The Jonah | 2009
32:57 | ARP | The Barely Days | The Rural Arcane | 2008
34:29 | Holt | A Melbourne Nocturne (Live) | Unreleased
40:24 | ARP | On Fastnet Rock | Nothing Is Truly Lost | 2011
43:54 | ARP | Your Turn To Go It Alone | Your Turn To Go It Alone | 2006
47:00 | ARP | Shorelines Clad in Snow | World Winding Down | 2007
50:52 | ARP | And Many a Summer Sleeps | Imaginary East of Longford | 2004
51:53 | ARP | And If I Remained by the Outermost Sea | The Days & Hills Grown Old | 2006

detailed info: discogs.com

Jon DeRosa, whom most people might know from his project Aarktica, takes a musical break from his usual combination of dense guitar-driven ambient and indie rock songs and turns instead to more open and spacious compositions. [...]]]> artist: Jon DeRosa
release: Anchored EP
format: CD
year of release: 2011
label: Silber
duration: 16:37

detailed info: discogs.com

Jon DeRosa, whom most people might know from his project Aarktica, takes a musical break from his usual combination of dense guitar-driven ambient and indie rock songs and turns instead to more open and spacious compositions. The four richly arranged songs on this first eponymous EP build in part on the goth folk of Jon’s old project Dead Leaves Rising and the americana of Pale Horse and Rider, but mostly tread new ground. This EP is an example of wonderful the format can be; the freedom to really select a couple of excellent songs and present them without and filler material. The short duration is no obstacle, because this is one to just put on repeat and play often.

The opening title track is a slow waltz on clean electric guitar, with Jon’s voice sounding warmer than ever. The song is supplemented with wonderful arrangements for strings (Julia Kent on cello) and horns (Jon Natchez), and the description of “chamber pop” as suggested by the label seems quite accurate. The following tracks offer many different highlights after this lovely opener. “Snow Coffin” is a very uplifting up-tempo track where the drums are a bit more prominent, marching proudly on like the soldier brother the song is dedicated to. We are also treated to wonderful double-voiced ending featuring Lorraine Lelis, a long-time Aarktica collaborator. The dark and gloomy acoustic “Ladies in Love” is almost a return to the folky stylings of Dead Leaves Rising, but with the maturity of over ten years of additional musical experience. The almost 17-minute EP ends with “Submarine Bells”, a cover taken from the 1990 album of the same name by The Chills. DeRosa stays pretty faithful to the lush orchestration of the original, but definitely makes it his own by virtue of his voice. Regardless, it is a wonderful composition, poetic and romantic, and the version on Anchored is more than worthy.

Apart from the quality of the individual tracks, the best thing about this EP is how DeRosa effortlessly shifts musical gear and delivers a celebration of song in a very pure form. There aren’t that many concrete genre trappings here, though classic American pop from early last century is a prominent one, and it sounds perfectly at home in 2011, at least in this form. No need for any specific target-group recommendations here. This is simply a beautiful release, so go have a listen. I hope it is a precursor of more to come.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. Anchored (4:43)
2. Snow Coffin (4:28)
3. Ladies In Love (3:31)
4. Submarine Bells (3:55)

detailed info: discogs.com

The first new release in many a year by Yen Pox is this gorgeous 10″ vinyl in the outstanding Substantia Innominata series, which seems to be taking over from one-time parent label Drone Records, whose [...]]]> artist: Yen Pox
release: Universal Emptiness
format: 10″
year of release: 2011
label: Substantia Innominata
duration: 33:16

detailed info: discogs.com

The first new release in many a year by Yen Pox is this gorgeous 10″ vinyl in the outstanding Substantia Innominata series, which seems to be taking over from one-time parent label Drone Records, whose 7″ drones series has recently ceased.

The first side builds up the tension with massive dark drones and waves, which give way to a slowly pulsating sound structure that dominates the most of the track. Like the brilliant artwork (done by frequent label collaborators Eye.lyft) suggests, these are faintly musical sounds, like the distilled aural onslaught of churning galaxies and black holes. The B-side “Below” contains, in a way, more of the same, but this works perfectly. The two sides together form over half an hour of delightfully deep and immersive sounds, ever-shifting so that no second sounds exactly the same. What these tracks lack in concrete melody or familiar points of departure, they make up in texture and flow, which is what music like this can be about too. Imagine listening to the deepest currents of an ocean, or the swirling of star systems through space, and you’ve got a bit of an idea.

Universal Emptiness is a mini-album that’s certainly not for the faint of heart, but those who venture inside will marvel at the complex yet harmonious tides coursing through these two tracks. It’s deep, dark, and heavy, and extremely skilfully done. I don’t think Yen Pox could have wished for a better comeback release, and it is only the latest of highlights in the Substantia Innominata series.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. Above (16:53)

2. Below (16:23)

detailed info: discogs.com

If the publications of the Brave Mysteries label are anything to go by, weirdly esoteric electronica and acoustic music are thriving in the US underground. Releases from projects like Kinit Her and Burial Hex have [...]]]> artist: Compass Hour
release: Compass Hour
format: MC
year of release: 2010
label: Brave Mysteries
duration: 39:58

detailed info: discogs.com

If the publications of the Brave Mysteries label are anything to go by, weirdly esoteric electronica and acoustic music are thriving in the US underground. Releases from projects like Kinit Her and Burial Hex have been impressing quite a few people since the label was established in 2010, and from what I can judge, the recent releases continue an ever more impressive trend. The tape under review here is by a side project of Nathaniel Ritter and Troy Schafer of Kinit Her, together with Eric Bray (Arctic Hospital). It’s a marvellous work from what is currently somewhere in the middle of the Brave Mysteries catalogue, released somewhere last year.

The six unnamed tracks on this forty-minute tape are best described as acoustic ritual music, possibly improvised, and very rich in both texture and atmosphere. Most prominent in the tracks are various bowed string instruments, hammered dulcimers, woodwinds, some violin and cello leads perhaps, but with subtle layers of electronic drones, tape hiss, and various other sounds in the background, not to mention percussion that supplements the pulse of the pieces perfectly.

I say ritual music, because the compositions here sound as if they are meant to conjure or describe the obscure, living energies of the earth, inherent but hidden forces that are not observed in any normal state of consciousness. The sound accurately reflects this, being neither happy nor dark, not hopeful or depressing either. It is more a matter of exploration, setting foot on unknown paths, unsure of whether we are invited to continue or not.

It is tempting to lapse into endless mystic prose and sensibilities when attempting to describe magical music like this, but it is often the case with literally esoteric music like this that you’re best off experiencing it for yourself. That said, anone with a soft spot for experimental acoustic music, whose mind resonates to terms like trance folk, wyrd, or ritual is strongly encouraged to seek out this tape, and the label is a good place to start as there are still copies available of this limited 100 release. I celebrate this eponymous release in any case, and eagerly await more material from Compass Hour.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. 6:53
2. 5:48
3. 6:27

4. 6:34
5. 6:51
6. 7:25

detailed info: discogs.com

It’s already been eight years since Andrew King‘s previous solo album The Amfortas Wound in 2003, and one realises how time flies. The gap is partially bridged by smaller releases and collaborations (with among others Sol [...]]]> artist: Andrew King
release: Deus Ignotus
format: CD
year of release: 2011
label: Epiphany
duration: 61:55

detailed info: discogs.com

It’s already been eight years since Andrew King‘s previous solo album The Amfortas Wound in 2003, and one realises how time flies. The gap is partially bridged by smaller releases and collaborations (with among others Sol Invictus, Duo Noir, Brown Sierra, The Triple Tree) so perhaps that is why it doesn’t feel like such a long time. Regardless, Deus Ignotus is a long-awaited work, and a new opportunity for King to put forth a very personal collection of traditional songs.

The album starts with some familiar work, to wit the excellent “The Three Ravens” and its intro, which have been welcome guests at King’s live performances in recent years. Another familiar tune may be the a capella “Edward”, of which an instrumentalised version appeared on the latest Sol Invictus album The Cruellest Month this year. Some other loose tracks are newer to King’s repertoire, as far as I know, such as “The Wife of Usher’s Well”, accompanied by soft but threatening synths and percussive accents, and “Lord Lovel”, another a capella piece.

Perhaps most surprising, and pleasantly so, is the inclusion of some mediaeval tunes, such as “Sic Mea Fata Canenda Solor” from the Carmina Burana, and Oswald von Wolkenstein‘s “Fröleichen So Well Wir”, which turned into a marvellous waltzing dance track in King’s version.

A quartet of tracks (6.1 – 7.2) is dedicated to the Biblical tale of Judas’ betrayal of Jesus. King cobbles together a fascinating musical narrative with different perspectives out of four different text sources, at the centre of which stands the 13th century Middle English ballad “Judas”, marvellously rendered with powerful percussion by John Murphy and instrumental arrangements played by Hunter Barr and Maria Vellanz. This track is a perfect example of King’s original musical vision that combines traditional song with a modern post-industrial form of composition.

I can’t do complete justice here to the impressive combination of research and creativity that resulted in these works, but I will simply refer the reader to the extensive notes and lyrics in the booklet to this album, which documents these processes. Nowhere are these notes more elaborate than for the final piece, “Sir Hugh”, and for good reason. It is a dark narrative ballad about the alleged murder of a young boy by Jews in mediaeval Lincoln. For the historical background on this instance of the Blood Libel myth, King’s notes provide three pages of information, including references to scholarship. Regardless, the narrative in the ballad related the Blood Libel as historical fact, which shows that the oral tradition on occasion preserves anti-Semitic and other unsavoury ideas. Apart from its insidious historical assertion, though, the song is very powerful as a murder ballad, and King’s rendition channels that dark energy of it quite well, confronting the listener with the attractive and enticing ways evil ideas can be packaged, and teaching us to always keep a critical eye and ear open.

Altogether, Deus Ignotus is another milestone for King’s oeuvre, the fruits of much research and a singular vision. As before, he is one of the most important and original artists in modern/alternative folk interpretation, and this album is certainly one of his best works to date, lacking next to nothing in diversity of song selection, deliverance, instrumentation, and documentation.

Reviewed by O.S.

Tracklist:

1. Corvus Terrae Terror (2:25)
2. The Three Ravens (6:01)
3. The Wife Of Usher’s Well (6:10)
4. Sic Mea Fata Canendo Solor (6:21)
5. Edward (4:22)
6.1. The Elders Of The People Took Counsel (1:45)
6.2. In Upper Room (5:28)
7.1. Judas (10:13)
7.2. Could Ye Not Watch With Me One Hour (1:16)
8. Lord Lovel (6:57)
9. Fröleichen So Well Wir (3:54)
10. Sir Hugh (7:03)