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7 track album

Man, this project.

I reviewed their debut maybe last year sometime. The striking qualities - both the oil-painted cover artwork as well as the bright, decidedly non-dungeon-oriented approach to dungeon synth is still here. I don’t know enough about art to remark on the cover, but it does seem that the compositions are refined. If you didn’t like any of the previous two albums, this one will not change your mind - it has an EXTREMELY high-fi approach, feeling much more like music for an adventure film. What I hear improved from the debut is especially the sense of orchestration - moments of just pure texture caused by a virtual orchestra batting around a melody, not always being driven by a good, hook-like melody or a solid chord progression, allow the listener to appreciate those sections, like in “Mirror Sails”, where a very hummable melody drives the piece.

Probably the closest analog is Barak Tor, both in terms of the sound production, and in terms of the ‘being indebted to Basil Poledouris’ category. Like with that project, I sometimes find myself feeling a little ‘uncanny valley’ reaction to these compositions, since they are orchestrated rather well, but even the skill of the arrangement and composition makes me feel a little disoriented just due to certain ‘tells’ of VST instruments. It’s not 100% Hollywood orchestra type sounds, not always the full orchestra blasting away at full volume - sometimes the composer will break down to two or three voices happening at a time, and it does allow for some really nice dynamic shifts within the track - like the middle section of “Three Egyptian Gods.” Some of the spareness of pieces like “Golden Cargo” really don’t do it for me, though - the extended middle section with just timpani and high strings just feels like it’s waiting for more instruments to enter, like the composer started with a full mix, and then subtracted elements selectively. So later in the track when we hear more instruments join (lower strings, brass, and further percussion), it makes more sense.

I have a few gripes about this project, but more importantly, I’m glad it exists - probably one of the last stops on the road between DS and the wider world of fantasy orchestral music. It has the full spirit of imagination that you would hope DS to have, and some truly great melodies (album closer “Yalahar Sunken Quarter” is a melodic standout by FAR), but doesn’t force a generic sense of medieval darkness because it feels like it needs to. It may not always be my cup of tea, but this is clearly the music this composer was born to make, and that excitement and commitment comes across when listening.

#Ur Pale #Crystal Waves Orchestra #Dungeon Synth #Sea Synth #Basil Poledouris