One of the newest releases on the mercurial and mystifying enmossed is a spiritually submerging study on landscape and liquid texture titled 𝑺𝒚𝒓𝒆𝒏, which comes from sound artist Gafael. Gafeal is the musical moniker of Matthew Ridgway, and as explained in the linear notes for the 𝑺𝒚𝒓𝒆𝒏 cassette, the name “Gafael” is a Welsh word that means to hold or grip, which Ridgway chose with several layers of intent: the name evokes a sense of intimacy with “the potential for danger,” it speaks to an acceptance of an important part of his upbringing and identity regarding aspects of Welsh language and culture, and also aims to reference the physical geography of Wales itself, which has always been an important influence on Gafeal’s productions (heretofore, these have included several tapes on Noir Age).
𝑺𝒚𝒓𝒆𝒏 takes a very loose inspiration from The Odyssey, specifically the concept of sirens, and then abstracts these aqueous beings into more elemental forces of mythical treachery and shadowy seduction. Along with this, there is a loose sonic narrative at play, which is partially reflected in the working title of the album—Music for Drowning. The first side of the 𝑺𝒚𝒓𝒆𝒏 cassette is subtitled ‘Submerge,’ and the liner notes mention how the music here intentionally moves from lighter atmospheres to darker dynamics…an evolution into the depths of an aural ocean dreamspace, equally fantasy-like as it is foreboding. The second side then, represents the journey back home...back from the abyssal zones of haunting hypnosis towards near new age waters of calming light and restorative bliss.
As far as the sonic language employed, 𝑺𝒚𝒓𝒆𝒏 features a post-Chain Reaction milieu of mesmerizing sonic magic, with textural and temporally shifting references to ambient and dub techno being the most prominent signposts. Water is a heavily featured element across the album, as field recordings and samples of rivers, streams, waterfalls, rainstorms, and oceans are massively processed, alternatively used to modulate chords, feed vocoders, and fill in empty spaces while flowing through thick combinations of reverb, phaser and delay. Beneath these wondrous weavings of fluid field recordings and ambient dub ether sculptures sit pillowy pulses of sub bass, which add subliminal shadows of movement and motion, while winds of white noise and haunted howls of granular hiss crash against some unseen shore.
Gafael - 𝑺𝒚𝒓𝒆𝒏 (enmossed, 2026)
In “Submerge 1,” watery wavefronts and wind-rushing synths billow and blow, as granular ghosts scream across a cloudy grey sky. Body floating bass and echo-effected chords pan in the hissing fog, and the whole thing evolves into a battle between sheets of searing white noise and ambient atmospheres of dub techno narcosis. Further chord mutations lurk in the vaporous depths, creating kinetic counterpoints that bounce against the more pronounced melodic patterns, which themselves seem to keep multiplying…their delay trails and feedback oscillations continuously falling over themselves. The sense of motion and groove deteriorates, and the washing motions almost achieve a state of standing wave stasis—though the bass still continues its pulsating as stormcloud formations of noise mix with chaotic chord structures to push the mind into a state of disorientation. And concentrated listening reveals almost choral sounding pads—perhaps sourced from water recordings— that seem to ring out forever. In “Submerge 2,” smoldering synth trails gently filter as abstracted whispers sizzle and smoke. Insectiform chitters high in the sky bring a strangely calming effect as big bulbous bass waves further settle the soul…executing an almost jazz-wise walk of downtempo dream magic, which carries through a landscape of glowing luminescence. And all throughout, clicks, drips and liquid sibilance are woven amidst amorphous voice patterns. A thunderous rumble in “Submerge 3” reveals itself to be another field recording of some unknown water source, which is accompanied by breaths of dub mysterium that blow in on a breeze of esoteric wonderment. Everything skitters and chitters with an insect-like nature…or like alien fly wings vibrating against each other amidst massive exhalations of cosmic gas. Stretched out dub chords evoke chanted druidic melancholies…and the whole thing feels funereal in its slow moving and aching sense of deep space sadness. Near the end, the chord formations and blankets of naturalistic fx peel away, revealing the muted sounds of rivers and forests, which are deeply effected through chains of delay. Moving into “Submerge 4,” organic, respiring, and burning bodies of synthetic and smoldering squelch seem to bubble up from some seafloor vent, before reaching an ocean surface disturbed by a serene ocean storm. What follows is a dynamic environment of washing waves, tropical weather, and active volcanic motion, wherein rippling flows of sonic magma meet beautiful blue waters, creating soft sears and sizzles. Dub chords drown the whole scene…their echo and reverb subsuming…and eventually aspects of the track start fading, until all that is left are percussive chords smothered in a cloak of reverb. The “Submerge” side of the journey ends with hovering white noise and circulating sonar swells, while lapping waves of aether wash against the shores of eternity. Dissonant streaks of electronic abstraction paint the sky in unfamiliar hues, and the water sounds transform into a very physical force…creeping and crawling into empty spaces, almost oozing and slime-like in their bizarre motions. And as various tones oscillate anxiously, the background increasingly fills with submarine rumbles and the atmospheric auras of sea floor exploration.
“Emerge” occupies the B-side, and the first part sees an unnatural wind carrying hidden voices and mists of keyboard melody, alongside evocations of city atmospheres and traffics sounds…though this is all likely just manipulated water samples. Sub bass murmurs are felt more than heard, stretching static tones smear across the spectrum, and lysergic ripping fx extend to infinity, while the cavernous and caressing immersions of white noise and buried melody threaten to completely overwhelm. Eventually, it all cuts dramatically to barely-there silence, and restive rumbles of liquid. “Emerge 2” starts with rustles, washes, and whispers as melodic pulsations quiver outwards with a sense of hesitation. Electrostatic fields malfunction and CRT TV screens are set to a snowing broadcast blur, while humid and humming vapors of melody move in the background. Clicks and clacks morph into humanistic garbles and gargles, and sequential chord patterns dance on currents of air, their sounds mutated, metallic, and robbed of any melodic grace. Overlapping loops create strange resonances and interesecting oscillations, and whipcrack whispers of struck metal rise to a fever pitch as they ping-pong pan across the mix. And nearing the end tape loops sizzle, burn, and fry, while millions of microbial bodies seemingly vibrate at hyperspeed. Morphing synth notes introduce “Emerge 3,” with white noise filtering alongside. Slow pounding subsonics and hovering trails of acid dub synthesis support hollow tonal drones from the astral ambient headspace, and everything flows, glows, and grows in strength. There is a profound intensity and physicality to the revolving swells of dub techno haze…a tactile and textural aspect that reaches out of the speakers, and creates three-dimensional structures of impossible description. But it all too soon decays away on patterns of Fluxion-esque chemical chord contemplation. The final part of “Emerge” floats in on similar Vibrant Forms II-esque dub chord subversions, which are backed by spiritual soundscapes of rainfall and new age choral radiance. It’s dub techno repurposed for fourth world mediation, shamanic ritual, and crystal healing…as ethereal voices drone out in tones of transcendence, bathing the mix in a holy and healing light. And its given prismatic sense of motion by the continued dance of squelching chord formations, which float off on forever-decaying waves of rainbow energy.
(images from my personal copy)
