Dark Music Review – Myth About Flat World
Review Written By Casey Douglass
In one or another form, Myth about flat world existed from time immemorial in every civilization culture, from India to Scandinavia, always intertwined with other ideas about World.[...] All of this makes the picture of Flat World surprisingly vivid and able to tell everything about secrets of the Universe, inspiring the search of analogies, bringing new vision of familiar fairytales and well-known legends. Creating this album, we wanted to reflect this myth's magic in sound, make it alive, able to induce imagination, finding new connections and meanings - to inspire the listener in creation of its own art... Let this music become a mirrored water surface for you, where one can see the shapes of something long forgotten, but at the same time very cognate and familiar.
I
found Myth About Flat World to be an introspective album, the
way some of the tracks gently build and fade, along with the apparent
simplicity of the sounds lending it a meditative quality that at once
supports the listener, but also doesn't get in the way. I used the
phrase “apparent simplicity” quite carefully a few words ago, as
closer listening reveals layers and variations of texture that at
times, seem quite hypnotic.
Take
the first track: The Flat World, as an example. After a gentle start,
a thrumming drone fills the soundscape, the backing of air-like
vocals forming an ongoing “ahhh” as delicate chime-like tinklings
jostle for the attention. The general takeaway sound of this track
for me was the impression of what sand flowing down a glass tube
might sound like, in no small part due to the static-like movements
at intervals in this track. Yes, there are wind instruments and
rattling bone-like sounds too, but this track so perfectly made me
think about a desert with a low golden sun hanging just above the
horizon, it was quite lovely. This image informed the rest of the
impressions that arose in my mind, so I think I likely strayed from
the theme expounded in the album blurb above.
Track two: Ancient Wind, saw me delve into a partially hidden temple (I might just have watched Stargate SG-1 or The Mummy too many times). This track starts with a subdued drone that undulates and flows, before being joined by airy swellings and sighs, as if the dark cool space inside the temple is haunted by unseen ghosts moving beyond sight. A little later, trilling whistles and finger-nail drumbeats add another layer of texture, hinting at things beginning to unfold.
The
next track: Mountain Roots, features gentle drumming too, strangely
warped chime-like notes starting things off before a whispering
female voice insinuates itself into the ear, wind-notes and heavier
drum beats give the whole thing a ritualistic feeling. As the track
progresses, a male vocal chant can be heard, along with a vibrating
electro-thrum that seems to charge the soundscape with energy. This
track gave me the impression of going deeper into the Earth, a trippy
languid stroll amongst the rocks.
Track
four is Keepers of Existence, an echoing resonance-filled soundscape
that seems to sparkle and shimmer like a swarm of golden fireflies,
if such things can live deep underground. This track gives the
impression of space and furtive movements, sighs and wind currents
hinted at later on, with some tasty undertone chanting thrown in for
good measure. Maybe the listener has come to the attention of the
titular “keepers”.
The
last track is Beside The Tree of Life, a track that begins with a
repeating note and mid-range drone that creates a background of
thrumming sound, maybe hinting at strange forces becoming mobilised.
Other sounds such as chanting and more wind-like static emerge as the
track continues, before it heads to a quieter ending featuring the
crackling of a small fire. As far as my mental images go, maybe the
character in the tale wakes up beside his cosy campfire outside the
temple, night having fallen and everything seeming to be back to
normal.
Myth About Flat
World is a thoroughly enjoyable dark ambient album, one in which
the textures and mixture of sounds seem very peaceful, to me at
least. On a number of occasions I actually fell asleep while
listening to it, so it has become one of the rare albums that I can
rely on to lull me into a relaxed state (another notable one being
Earth Songs if this application interests you). Myth About Flat
World has a great knack for evoking an otherworldly, exotic
sensation, one that lets the listener scent and experience strange or
exotic places, weaving a feeling of the spiritual or mythological
into the impressions of stone, space and darkness. I give it 5/5, an
album well worth checking out.
Visit the Myth About
Flat World page on Bandcamp here for more information.
I was given a free
copy of this album to review.
Album Title: Myth About
Flat World
Artist: Creation VI
Label : Black Mara
Released: June 2, 2016
