Syndrome is Mathieu Vandekerckhove, who is also known for his work in bands like Amenra, Kingdom and Sembler Deah. While those acts usually are loud, harsh and bombastic, this solo-project is an introspective journey, calm, meditative and gloomy. Again, this album contains one huge track, divided into several parts. It opens with percussion and soon after the song turns into a mild but cinematic post-rock anthem which grows and expands. From then on, the different parts show all the different elements to make this a masterpiece, from minimalist drones to layers of ambient soundscapes to dark folk melodies to post-rock passages. And again, those awesome vocals are present.
The album shows the evolution of this project, which started on the previous album and evolves into a new highlight on 'Forever And A Day'. Obviously, this album comes highly recommended if you have either his previous album or anything from Aidan Baker, Dirk Serries or any of drone-masters in your collection. In a scene that mildly evolves, this is a landmark album you should not ignore.
​Serge