Dark Music Review – Monde Obscure
Written By Casey Douglass
Field recording heavy dark ambient from Croatia. This album is an unsettling tale taking us from the abandon dilapidated high rises where the portals from another world cracks open to leak its black ink into our world. Great attention to detail and layers means this album will be replayed many times before it can all be taken in. Not for the faint of heart.
The
above album blurb is certainly accurate, the layers found in Aegri
Somnia’s Monde Obscure give the ear a great amount of detail
to listen to, and do a fantastic job of conjuring up some strange and
twisted mental impressions. Monde Obscure will certainly take your
mind on a fantastic journey, each track saturated with strange things
and sinister sounds.
The
Tracks
Naissance
– Footsteps and the squawking of birds backed by a series of
sinister drones and beats before being joined by lighter notes and
swirls of sound. This track very much hangs from the footsteps, a
lone explorer walking through an area that they are ill advised to
venture into alone. Near the end of the track, a strange chant
resonates, as if the denizens of the place have noticed the intruder
and are signalling the creatures within to get ready for lunch.
Esoterique
– A gentle chiming mingles with a looming drone filled with the
hard edge of metal and magic. A deep chant underpins this, hinting at
a ritual setting or place of worship. The dark undertones certainly
don’t mark this as a white light praising area. The track swells at
the midpoint, a harsh thickly-textured sound covered in grain. This
gives way to water splashes and the distant vocalisations of the
residents of this dark place.
Les
Temps Ont Changé – Chimes and chittering begin this track, a
wide-open soundscape filled with flight and movement, the creaking
and groaning of ancient machinery far out of sight disturbing the
vermin that live here. A rustling sound takes over, other things
falling more silent, strange speech bouncing from the walls, melodic
yet alien. The track is seen out by haunting piano notes and a low
drone.
Noir
et Blanc – Wind blowing through eerie tubes provides the backing to
trickling water and abbreviated coughs, a vibrating drone and wet
splats mingling to finish the effect as voices rise in a chant. The
whole track puts me in mind of a church surrounded by the gurgling
darkness of Satan's masses. The second part of the track is a quieter
affair, gurgles and muted rhythms suggesting the church is now
totally covered.
Culture
Aveugle – A grainy sound begins this track, accompanied by a
metallic beat, the atmosphere thickening as a drone seeps in,
escalating notes taking on the aspect of cries and calls from strange
creatures. Whispers and water join the fray, hinting at a large space
full of judgemental and opinionated souls passing verdict as the
listener passes through. A lumbering rumbling sound wades in, the
opinionated audience falling silent as something more than a match
for their bile imposes itself on the place.
Faux
Prophete – The sounds at the start of this track give the
impression of a large static-filled TV screen struggling to show any strong
sense of picture. Tiny figures climb its sides trying to repair it,
the clank of their tools and labour echoing around the abyssal space.
A beat starts a little later, accompanied by the sound of what could
be crunching bones, if your mind is of a particular persuasion. The
sounds of more industry ensues, with wolf-like howling beginning in
the distance.
Obscurite
Totale – Tinkling chimes and guttural noises start this track, the
atmosphere darkening as a drone ripens with higher notes and chanting
reverberations interplaying with the sound. Most of these fall silent
as more furtive scurrying sounds emerge, insectoid and chitinous, a
swelling resonance behind it building into a metamorphosing
soundscape. As other tracks, this one enjoys a more relaxed second
act, soothing breathing intermingled with clattering chimes setting
up a great contrast with the first part of the track before it ends
with more chanting.
Vitesse
D'évasion – Dripping water and reverberating juddering sounds
begin, a high pitched screeching melding into a distant drone. Things
fade to a squeaking space full of rustling and distant chiming. A
more distinct creaking and clattering begins, distant calls jostling
with deeper notes that loom over the soundscape of creature noises.
Sortie
– A thrumming drone surrounded by the sounds of hissing steam and
metallic clanks. This track gives the impression of what it might be
like to enter an airlock and have the various decontamination systems
kicking in, scanning you, disinfecting you.
Sortie
II – Beeps and mechanical sounds ratchet into the ear, shortly
followed by a swelling noise that hints at things about to happen.
What sounds like a robotic cry for help dopplers away from the
listener, a pregnant space full of dead technology.
Portal
I – Whispers and a metallic beating with a high-pitched backing
drone creates a soundscape that feels claustrophobic, in so far as
being surrounded by people can feel claustrophobic. That is, until it
all fades and leaves the listener alone with something coming their
way through the darkness.
Portal
II – Bat-like chittering vies with a rumbling drone, wet impacts
and what sounds like distant thunder competing with strange speech
and industry. A rumbling and slightly confusing soundscape that
leaves the listener curious at which way to mentally turn. Things
turn technological towards the midpoint which gives the listener more
questions than it answers.
My
Opinion
As
I said at the start of this review, Monde Obscure will take
your mind into dark places, dipping your brain in vats of unspeakable
grime before laying it out in the swamp for the carrion birds to pick
over. There were a number of tracks that I would happily apply the
label of “Favourite” to, each for their own particular charm.
Culture
Aveugle I love because to me, it really did sound like a room full of
beings who thought they were so strong and mighty being cowed by the
appearance of a true power. A bit like the difference between a
murderer finding themselves face to face with Hannibal Lecter.
Faux
Prophete just conjured such interesting images to me, technology and
animal sounds mingling to create something strange and unsettling.
Obscurite
Totale I enjoyed for the space that opened up part way through the
track, the breathing and chimes tinkling one of the most peaceful and
relaxing soundscapes I have heard for quite some time.
I
give Monde Obscure 4.5/5 and think you would be well
advised to visit the link below and have a listen for yourself.
Have
a look at the Monde Obscure page here on Bandcamp to find out
more.
I was given a free
copy of the album to review.
Album Title: Monde
Obscure
Artist: Aegri Somnia
Label: Cryo Chamber
Written, Produced and
Performed: Jurica Santek
Mastering - Simon Heath
Artwork - Crossfading
Released : 19 May 2015
