Album: Ghosts
Artist: A Most Accursed
Label: Sombre Soniks
Catalogue no: SomSon139
Tracklist:
1. Ghosts
2. White
Cross
3. Rejoice
4. Wild
River
I recently reviewed Druha
Smrt’s latest release, Incarnatium,
on this blog some weeks ago, and rated it as another entry in a distinguished
catalogue of fine releases from the Sombre Soniks. So, you may justly wonder,
what does this have to do with this latest release on this small British label?
The answer’s simple: A Most Accursed is a side project of Druha Smrt, and takes
matters off in a completely different direction from that project. Because what
we have here can be classified as a form of shoegaze/noise/dark ambient hybrid:
traditional instruments like piano and guitar are much in evidence, as are
lyrics, and there’s plenty of reverb to go around. And it’s glorious – it’s
dreamy and noisy, uplifting and shattering, light and dark, and pure delight.
The title track ‘Ghosts’
begins with a simple reverberating piano figure that provides a backdrop to
breathy lyrics and guitar feedback. These are ghosts indeed, fleeting glimpses
of lights and shapes seen from the corner of one’s eyes, distant elusive
memories of past events and people long gone, seemingly recorded in a slice of
air and time. Those memories haunt as shiveringly as spectres and apparitions
do, living as they do in a past that can never be retrieved. ‘White Cross’ is
just as mesmerising, echoey, ringing guitars and vocals rising into the sky,
followed by soaring guitar notes winging their way to some distant, shimmering
horizon. These are the bright but ephemeral sparks living their brief firefly
existences in a vain effort to join the stars above.
‘Rejoice’ comes up next,
more piano reverberations against a watery background, but this time
accompanied by a mournful viola. This one, in spite of its title, is a swatch
of darkness, velvety black and starless. A funereal pall hangs heavily, an
oppression bearing down upon all who stand below. The final track ‘Wild River’
starts in much the same vein as the previous piece, with echoing bass piano
notes set against rushing water, but don’t be fooled into thinking this is
uncreative repetition. This one is lighter in tone, but grandiose in effect,
indeed just like a wild river should be – bounded only by its natural banks,
not beholden to the controlling interference of man, and left to power and
meander its way wherever its nature wonts. Rocks and barriers mean nothing, and
in many ways this serves as a metaphor perhaps for our own lives; the river
fears nothing in its path, and can be a powerful force to be reckoned with. It
could burst its banks and flood the land, destroying homes and lives. It bends
and finds its way around obstacles. It is clear, hiding nothing. It is strong,
supporting life, and simultaneously able to move heavy objects. It is the
quintessential element for the survival of life.
In my so far short
acquaintance with Sombre Soniks Ghosts
amounts to quite a departure from their usual style, but I have to say that
that is a wonderful thing. This is a more accessible album than much of their
output, but is ultimately another means of expressing concepts which would be
hard to pin down in any other way. It is an uplifting and sobering experience,
a reminder both of joy and grief, a celebratory parade and a funeral cortege.
Furthermore, this shows versatile musicianship, and that moods can be created
both through tradition and unconventional means. This is a scintillating gem
that shines darkly in both the light and the dark.
Available from the Sombre
Soniks Bandcamp page:
Psymon Marshall 2019.
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