Moonphase -- Dark Assembly (2026)

Petroglyph

• Dark ambient 
• Musique concrète 
• Avant-garde 
• Spoken word 
• Electronic 
• Sound art 
• Neoclassical 
• Experimentalism 
• Illbient

Moonphase'i 8-looline "Dark Assembly" on album, mis ei taotle pelgalt atmosfääri loomist, vaid ehitab kuulaja ümber omaette rituaalse, okultistliku heliruumi. Petroglyph Music-nimelise netiplaadifirma all ilmunud teos asetub korraga dark ambient'i, musique concrète'i, eksperimentaalelektroonika ja spoken word'i piirimaile, sidudes need orgaaniliseks tervikuks. Nimiloost avalugu haarab tähelepanu erakordse veenvusega. Shane Becki sugestiivne jutustus ei ole siin pelgalt sõnaline kiht, vaid võrdväärne instrument, mille ümber Øystein Q. Jørgensen - kes, muideks, on eelpoolmainitud viljaka plaadifirma üheks asutajaks - hoolitseb aeglaselt pulseeriva heliloome eest. Päris- ja tehishelide piire on teadlikult hägustatud -- looduslikud (vähemalt päris-) hääled, elektroonilised tekstuurid, praksuvad-prõksuvad murdosasekundid ning elektroakustilised resonantsid sulavad ühte nii loomuldasa, et kuulaja lakkab õigustatult peagi küsimast, kus üks lõpeb ja teine algab. (Mis ilmselt ongi ideaalhelindi üheks tunnuseks). Just selles sünteesis peitub albumi suurim tugevus. Becki narratiiv mõjub mütoloogilise sisekaemusena; avamata end üheselt, viitavad need inimese ja looduse ürgsele sidemele, rituaalidele, mälule ning sisemisele muutumisele. Druiidimotiiv mõjub sümbolina teadmistele, mis eksisteerivad väljaspool ratsionaalset maailma. Tema hääl juhatab kuulajat läbi piirsituatsionistlike seisundite -- ärkveloleku ja unenäo, materiaalse ja vaimse, teadvustatud ja varjulejääva, mineviku ja oleviku vahel. Narratiivid ei jutusta klassikalises mõttes lugusid, vaid kutsuvad esile kujutluspilte ja psühholoogilisi seisundeid, mille tähendus sünnib kuulaja enda teadvuses. Albumi emotsionaalne kõrgpunkt saabub loos "Slow Dance Of The Druid". Siin saavutavad Jørgenseni õhulised ämbientsed orkestratsioonid ja Becki meditatiivne deklamatsioon erakordse, teineteisse põimuva tasakaalu. Muusika ei taotle dramaatilist kulminatsiooni, vaid aeglast, peaaegu märkamatut transformatsiooni. Helid näivad keerlevat ümber kuulaja, puudutades kõige intiimsemaid hingekeeli ning tekitades tunde, nagu liiguks teadvus ringjalt valgusesse. Vaikne ekstaas, mis ei vaja valjuhäälseid žeste. "Dark Assembly" pakub eksperimentaalmuusika austajale nii tehnilist peenust kui emotsionaalset sügavust, tõestades, et tumeämbient peene helikunstiga mastis võib olla võrdväärselt emotiivne mistahes muusikaga. Need 29 minutit ei püüa subjekti vallutada agressiivse energia ning otseteed mööda, vaid meelitada ta aegamööda oma hämarasse, kuid kummaliselt lohutavasse maailma. 9.5 (9.0-10)

Dark Frequencer – Hypnotica (2018)

Petroglyph Music

• Ambient techno 
• Electronic music 
• Organic electronica 
• Dreamwave 
• Field recording 
• Kosmische Musik 
• Musique concrète

Comment: this batch of a couple of tracks being released on Petroglyph Music is illustrated with the cover print of a girl being wrapped up in blue and green-tinged reveries. Part 2 is a sultry blend of hypnagogic techno rhythms, meandering spaced-out synths over a maiden's suggestive vowels as if a dreamy version of krautrock (which is called Kosmische Musik then and the revamped, stark hypnagogic elements paved version of it as dreamwave now). Its exquisite iterative pattern is simply overwhelming. Part 1 shows off more muscles due to a more pounding, incisive rhythmic bone which is surrounded by hypnotic iterations on synths and faint field recording vapor and volatile girlish murmurs. In a word, it is an outstanding release with a practical, remedial power. Try it as the tincture to fall asleep. There is another world, there is a better world. (And if you wake up thereafter then continue with Amon Düül II's Mozambique which does provide an astounding proto-Stereolab feel).

Le Mansarde Hermetique – Haunted Attic (2017)

Petroglyph

Petroglyph

Bandcamp

• Kosmische Musik
• Krautrock 
• Motorik 
• Electronic music 
• Ambient pop 
• Psychedelic 
• Alternative 
• Space music

Comment: this bunch of 8 compositions takes on an exploration of spaced-out electronica inspired by Kosmische Musik/krautrock. Minimally surfacing and slowly changing rhythms and microtonal changes create vintage yet arousing ambiances around the listener. So yeah, it is beatific and ennobling at the same time. I guess it can be considered an example of harmonious music because you can hear proportionate and symmetrical structures and elements faced against one another. Even more, it can be considered an example of music for the spheres. All the pivotal points are subtly integrated into the mix from scratch and given that the music is a mellow flow without any disruptions and deranged effects. Mostly it used to base on synths though some guitars add an additional value to the blend. At Sonnige Zeiten one hears a psychedelic droning with an obsessive, minimal/motorik rhythm. By kindred souls one can draw parallels upon the likes of Tangerine Dream, Manuel Göttsching, Klaus Schulze, Ash Ra Tempel. The issue is a part of the discography of Petroglyph Music, a Norwegian imprint. Behind the project are Micahel Brückner, and Mathias Brüssel, and Haunted Attic is their homage paid to French comic artist Jean Giraud aka Moebius (1938-2012). Top (kraut/Kosmische) release.

The Cherry Blues Project – Selectas Memorias del Invierno (2017)

Petroglyph

• Microtonal 
• Avant-garde 
• Experimentalism 
• Micronoise 
• Post-industrial 
• Drone 
• Electronic music 
• Sound art 
• Illbient

Comment: this batch of 11 pieces is based on childhood memories and vacations spent in the city of Gualeguaychu (Argentina) during the 90s. The word Invierno which does mean “winter” in Spanish used to sound quite close to the word inferno, hell by other word. Indeed, by listening to it I would like to say the soundscape supposedly reminds of the latter because of consisting of restrained yet somehow threatening sonic progressions. That's the unexpected consequence because emotional level is high nonetheless with regard to the minimal and buried details of the issue. Yet it is the subjective reconstruction of mine because the soundscape is rich and succulent in its slightly buried appearance. It involves surprising turns as well – at No (Edit) you hear slight Islamic samples together with a layer of chopped, microscopic noise sounds. This mind-provoking outing is a part of the discography of Petroglyph Music.

Cedric Elisabeth – Parallel (2017)

Petroglyph Music

Bandcamp

• Drone 
• Epic 
• Experimentalism 
• Ambient drone 
• Minimalism 
• Avant-garde 
• Dark ambient 
• Post-classical 
• Crossover

Comment: slow down and go further. Slow down and show up your inclination for new conquers within the sonic art. Your very inclination for developing an area wherein minimalism meets dark hued and deeply immersed ambient and majestic post-classical buildups full of less and more remarkable shades and distinctive borders. Of course, additional elements are also represented to be added to the mix (some field recording and glitchy compartments). Moreover, you can follow classical drift between noise and silence, between an existing and Nothing. Aside the metaphysical point of view it might seem like an endless iteration within a set of determined particles yet I have to admit the impression of the whole exceeds the set of its particles due to existence of synergy between the different parts of the whole. The word "between" does mean a gentle following one part or section by another because it is focused on horizontally parallel moving. The gentle outing is a part of the discography of an imprint, Petroglyph Music.

Sound Awakener - Five Chapters (2014)

Petroplyph

Bandcamp

Soundcloud

/Avant-garde, Experimentalism, Piano music, Field recording, Improvised music/

Comment: Vietnam-based artist Nguyễn Hồng Nhung aka Sound Awakener takes on an upright acoustic piano to create something inspired and beautiful. The issue starts off with Vibrate which differentiates due to a more buried timbre and sonic vamp. Later on, the artist creates tracks by amplifying them to the edge of distortion and dissonance, or using the sounds of field recording, or adding reverb-heavy spaces, some hissy wisps and stereo tricks to the blend. Nguyễn Hồng Nhung is an endued musician because of being classically educated he has not lost his explorative nature to educational formalism. In fact, these two characteristic vectors do have the same direction thereby resulting in the hitting stomp emotively. More concretely, hilarious moments are variegated with more shadowy glimpses into the soul of piano improvisation. Some tracks might sound in a lo-fi way at times yet it is not something of a lo-fi album because all the layers added to the mix are produced in an adept way. You could call it the knavish lo-fi outing if you wish. On this example the Vietnamese musician`s outing resembles the Swede Oskar Hallbert`s slightly introvertive and hazy compositions. Solid issue indeed.

Igl00 – Long Way Home (2014)

Petroglyph

• Abstract
• Illbient
• Post-industrial
• Microtonal
• Minimal
• Kosmische Musik
• Ambient drone

Outstanding tracks:

Long Way Home

Letters Of Utrecht - Dot Joining For Beginners (2013)

Petroglyph

• Experimentalism
• Avant-garde
• Experimental electronica
• Post-psychedelic electronica
• Improvised music
• Electro-acoustic
• Kosmische Musik

Outstanding tracks:

Glass Circle

Minutiae Analysis

Sp3ct3rs - Destroyed By Stars (2013)

Petroglyph

• Ambient
• Dark ambient
• Soundscapes
• Microtonal
• Abstract
• Avant-garde
• Experimentalism
• Ambient drone
• Epic

Outstanding tracks:

Spire

Fragment Heart

Bridge

Altars Align

Void

Spangl /Weinberger - Memorial (2013)

Petroglyph

9.3

/Experimentalism, Modern classical, Acousmatics, Electro-acoustic, Musique concrète, Avant-garde, Noise/

Comment: this batch of 7 compositions do constitute an outstanding experimental approach due to be interlaced together slihtly opposite elements in the same tracks and frequently simultaneously. More concretely, Spangl behind the piano, and Weinberger behind knobs collaborate in a way to offer up solemn cathedral sounds, though, produced in a filthy way, or lofty piano music backed up by deliberate, inexact electro-acoustic clumps, chamber chords, and concrete music-induced heelers somewhere in the remote background. As a result, the listener can perceive a viable tension emerging at confluent points across these sonic terrains. Furthermore, there are even up some longing-induced monumentum emerging inviolably from piano and noiseful progressions.            

Babau - Tapes From The Bedroom (2013)

Petroglyph

Bandcamp

Soundcloud

Lastfm

• Post-rock
• Experimental rock
• Mood music

Eless - Eless (2013)

Petroglyph

• Ambient techno
• Dark ambient
• Downtempo
• Spoken word
• Experimentalism
• Glitch ambient
• Soundscapes