SKINLANTERNS

music artworks + small reviews

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DUNGEON SYNTH

I’d like to discuss a bit about dungeon synth. You can easily get an idea of what this genre is about by checking out early MORTIIS material. This mainly-instrumental genre conveys a crude and eerie medieval atmosphere that I love to get lost into lately. Lo-fi production, cheap keyboard sounds, percussions, choirs... There is fragile and strange balance between all these elements that somehow manages to take you somewhere else. Just like a good black metal demo, it makes a perfect late-night listening to forget about daily-life futility.  I love this Mortiis video for how it’s much more accurate than any words to sum up what’s good about the genre : LINK.

There are also some new excellent stuff in the genre. After one demo, Forgotten Kingdoms released its first album few months ago called Blue Moon Gate Between Worlds. Both releases are excellent stuff, even though I wish the vocal delivery would be just whispers instead of heavily filtered spoken words. First demo is amazing but hard to find now.

THE SHADOW KINGDOM is a cooperation between two labels, Crude Form and Shunned House. It’s mainly dedicated to dungeon synth releases and I heavily recommend everything they released. Not far from the Mortiis video mentionned earlier, they released a 15 minutes video called Visions Of The Shadow Kingdom. The limited edition includes some great artworks as well as a tape version of the audio from the DVD.

I have attached ome artworks to the full post from dungeon synth artists. First, cover art of the first Forgotten Kingdoms demo. Then, a picture of the Old Tower guy, highly recommended stuff too (two tapes on TSK imprint). Finally, some screenshots from the Visions Of The Shadow Kingdom DVD. Hope you’ll enjoy.

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HUMAN LARVAE - BEHIND BLINDING LIGHT LP Two years ago I was impressed by the HL set at the first edition of United Forces of Industrial, so I was quite anxious to hear new material. It doesn’t disappoint. As described, it smoothly moves between quieter and eerie, almost ambient-like parts and strong vocal delivery, acoustic metal sounds and powerful layers of noise, all elements blending well together and providing good industrial atmosphere.

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FÖDD DÖD - он не может любить тебя больше K7 This duo made of Varg and SARS is back with a new tape release after what was supposed to be a one-off, the Studie I Närhet, Längtan Och Besvikelse LP released on Northern Electronics. This one is way less “pop” oriented : almost no vocals, blurrier sound and much more minimalist tracks. Although I think I’m more into the LP, this tape definitely makes a great sunday late evening listening, when you’re feeling a bit down and very tired. Beautiful synth lines, ethereal atmosphere and very simple rythms...

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POSTER DESIGN MADE FOR VANGUARD PRODUCTIONS 

http://vanguard-productions.com/home/product/deaths-head-poster-11-x-17/

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VARIOUS ARTISTS - LOVE GREW RINGS AROUND ME 3X7" Latest Posh Isolation compilation, and it's just fucking good. Great collage artworks that look like early PI releases. Nothing to dislike here - all artists contribute solid tracks. From ARV & MILJÖ's heavy use of field recordings and samples to blissful LR's organ ending, each side has its own personnality while fitting very well altogether. Will talk soon about latest PI LP and tapes too.

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More artworks in full post.

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VARIOUS ARTISTS - REMISE/ASSUME 2xCS  The 100th release on Strange Rule. Feels weird... I remember the first batch of SL tapes as if it was yesterday. Quick check on Discogs : 2011, 5 years already ?! This compilation contains material  which varies from field recordings, ambient, concrete tape music and a few noisier moments. Definitely won't be my new favorite compilation, but all the tracks are blending well together and the global atmosphere is coherent. Highlights are HÄNDER SOM VåRDAR and SLOW LISTENER. First one contributes a beautiful yet slightly stressful track made of subtle feedback manipulation (?) and a great, well-chosen woman vocal sample. Second one is a great piece of eerie concrete music. I still have to go through the Winter Cross tapes serie released earlier this year, will try to do that soon and post few words on each.

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BLOOD OV THEE CHRIST - GUILTY TO EVERYTHING CS After around 10 minutes of drunken rambling, electronics finally start to appear. Short tracks, buried and rotten sound, vocals are blending well into it resulting in a primitive mess of failing noises and rough vocals. Lots of samples/spoken parts, I'm obviously missing something since I can't get what is being said. Weird and interesting material. Makes me want to go back to the other BLOOD OV THEE CHRIST releases I have and read again the great Alfarmania interview in the latest Noise Receptor issue, which provided some background informations about BotC.

No samples, long sold out I think. All artworks in full article.