7 track album
It’s sometimes hard to know what to make of Lord Lovidicus, who was one of the earliest active figures in the current wave of Dungeon synth, and quite prolific in the early days, and who is now fairly withdrawn from the scene, having slowed his output considerably.
What can be said about the present album is that it is an astonishing work of virtual orchestra music, with complex arrangements full of counterpoint, alternating instruments and instrument-groups, driven with lush harmonies and active melodies. In terms of complexity and level of detail alone, this music has maybe 3-4 peers in the scene - Trogool on the high-fi end, Chaucerian Myth on the more old-school end. This project stands in the middle of the two aforementioned projects in terms of quality - probably from 10 paces this could be mistaken for a live orchestra, but the effect is achieved whether or not the ear is fooled by these VSTs.
And what is the effect? I am put in a kind of mythological mindset by this music, given the feeling of antiquity existing alongside the mystical and magical. Plaintive harps, swelling choirs, busy strings, and timpani rolls make up the fabric of this music. At times I feel a little of what I could describe as neo-classical alienation, where the details are so pristine that I don’t immediately appreciate what it is I’m hearing. Probably doesn’t help that there are a lot of very ornate, Baroque-sounding moments throughout - but it’s not really a problem, just a momentary disorientation. This album could probably give a good opportunity to discuss the difference between dungeon synth and neo-classical and soundtrack music, but I’m not sure if I can take that opportunity in this review. But the things that take me out of the dungeon mindset are still thoroughly imaginative - more modern harmonies here, a video-gamey hook there, even thoroughly grounded in the virtual orchestra sound palette. I’m not always moved by this album, but the level of craft on display is truly educational, and it is always stimulating.