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We all know that Japan is the place to be when it comes to noise music but I don't think I've ever heard dark ambient coming from there. As they say, there's a time and a place for everything, and today seems to be the perfect time to dwell in the obscure regions of the Japanese underground. It's not really a surprise that this release has reached us from Sombre Soniks. This label knows something about dark ambient. They have surprised us with great releases before and this one is no exception.
Coma Centauri is a Japanese sound artist and writer. This music is meant to guide a short story which he will release in the near future. The story seems to have a strong oceanic theme and is influenced by Lovecraft. So does this music, word and sound will fit perfectly together. 'Wayward Pharos' indeed sounds like wave after wave of soundscapes, like the deceptively gentle tide of tenebrous water. 'His Faithful Specter' is a perfect example of this wavy sound and a splendid dark ambient track.
It's these soundscapes on which this album thrives and quite frankly, there's little more than them. In 'Eidolon' a hint of percussion lies beneath the layers of sounds and a creepy voice fades in once in a while. The effect is almost hypnotic, able to bring the listener in a state of trance. 'Reverie' brings out a bit more percussion, including some deep kicks and a menacing gong. However, the main part remains a collection of drones and lengthy ambient sounds.
This deep, impending atmosphere is present throughout the entire album. It reminds me of acts like Atrium Carceri or Raison D'Etre. An 'Eastern' influence seems to shine through constantly but not in a way you can point it out. This element brings a highly convincible touch of mystery to the tracks. However, it also strikes me how Come Centauri manages to blend bright and dark ambient within a similar theme and a similar sound. Most of the songs are very dark but 'Hollow Being' is a beautiful deep ambient track, drifting away from the darkness the other songs breathe.
So there you have it, another brilliant dark ambient release by a very talented artist. You might wonder, 'are there bad dark ambient albums'? The answer is 'yes', I heard a lot of uninspired sounds in this genre but this one clearly isn't. Wayward Pharos is a high quality ambient album with plenty of variation, almost hidden beneath a thick layer of atmospheric layered sounds. The result is stunning and of course comes highly recommended...
Serge
Coma Centauri is a Japanese sound artist and writer. This music is meant to guide a short story which he will release in the near future. The story seems to have a strong oceanic theme and is influenced by Lovecraft. So does this music, word and sound will fit perfectly together. 'Wayward Pharos' indeed sounds like wave after wave of soundscapes, like the deceptively gentle tide of tenebrous water. 'His Faithful Specter' is a perfect example of this wavy sound and a splendid dark ambient track.
It's these soundscapes on which this album thrives and quite frankly, there's little more than them. In 'Eidolon' a hint of percussion lies beneath the layers of sounds and a creepy voice fades in once in a while. The effect is almost hypnotic, able to bring the listener in a state of trance. 'Reverie' brings out a bit more percussion, including some deep kicks and a menacing gong. However, the main part remains a collection of drones and lengthy ambient sounds.
This deep, impending atmosphere is present throughout the entire album. It reminds me of acts like Atrium Carceri or Raison D'Etre. An 'Eastern' influence seems to shine through constantly but not in a way you can point it out. This element brings a highly convincible touch of mystery to the tracks. However, it also strikes me how Come Centauri manages to blend bright and dark ambient within a similar theme and a similar sound. Most of the songs are very dark but 'Hollow Being' is a beautiful deep ambient track, drifting away from the darkness the other songs breathe.
So there you have it, another brilliant dark ambient release by a very talented artist. You might wonder, 'are there bad dark ambient albums'? The answer is 'yes', I heard a lot of uninspired sounds in this genre but this one clearly isn't. Wayward Pharos is a high quality ambient album with plenty of variation, almost hidden beneath a thick layer of atmospheric layered sounds. The result is stunning and of course comes highly recommended...
Serge