Here are the dark ambient albums that we at This is Darkness have been listening to this month – some are new releases, but a few are older gems we’ve just (re)discovered.

Animent creates wonderful music that combines elements of Nordic folk music with neoclassical and industrial sounds. Their latest release, Revelation, is a 5 track EP that also draws from the sounds of the Middle East, Africa, and the Far East – resulting in something very special indeed. This is captivating music that is heartfelt and perfectly captures the human experience – our hopes, our passion, our desire to find our place in the universe. Highly recommended for fans of dark ambient / drone with a shamanic edge. Stunning!

Here are the dark ambient albums that we at This is Darkness have been listening to this month – some are new releases, but a few are older gems we’ve just (re)discovered.

Please check these out by clicking on the Bandcamp link next to each review (or by clicking on the BNDCMPR link at the bottom of the page), and please consider supporting the featured artists. Enjoy!

Ugasanie – Cold World of Eternity

I’m a big fan of Ugasanie‘s music, but with their latest release – on the ever awesome Cryo Chamber label – they have taken things to another level. Cold World of Eternity is an incredible album of dark ambient / drone, with a polar ambient soundscape guaranteed to knock your socks off. I’ve had this on repeat play since I first heard it several weeks ago, and after 30+ plays I am still absolutely loving it! Very highly recommended!

Adam Wiltzie – Eleven Fugues For Sodium Pentothal

Now this is very cool – an album of dark ambient / drone, with classical instruments brought to the forefront, and a melancholic undertone. The end result is an album that provides an emotional listening experience – one in which the listener is drawn into introspection and valuation of their life and the world around them. Definitely one of those albums for listening to alone, late at night, with a glass of wine. Gorgeous!

Harvestman – Triptych: Part One

The latest release from HARVESTMAN (the psych/folk/ambient project of Neurosis’ Steve Von Till) is the first in a three-album series titled Triptych, and has been released to coincide with April 23rd’s Pink Moon (the next two parts of the series will be released to coincide with July 21st’s Buck Moon and October 17th’s Hunter Moon, respectively). This is an album of dark ambient / drone, with other elements added to the mix – including folk, psychedelia, and sludge. The resulting album is wonderful multi-layered experience and a must have for fans of dark ambient that does something different. Awesome!

Abul Mogard & Rafael Anton Irisarri – Impossibly distant, impossibly close

This impressive release of dark ambient / experimental  electronica sees Abul Mogard and Rafael Anton Irisarri working together to create something very special indeed. This is a beautiful music, full of unfolding melodies and gradually evolving tracks that introduce multi-layered soundscapes that are quite simply breath-taking. If you like your dark ambient with an electronic, synth-based edge, then this well worth checking out. Stunning!

Noctilucant – Deadlier Meat

Deadlier Meat, the latest release from Noctilucant is a re-recording of their classic 2015 album, Dead Meat with additional re-recordings of other Noctilucant obscurities. Even if you never heard the original album, this is well worth checking out because it is more than a remix album – full of haunting dark ambient tracks with industrial and post-industrial undertones, this is an album of apocalyptic soundscapes – subtle and melancholic in places, aggressive and disturbing in others. Wonderful!

IO – Saturn Devouring His Son

Inspired by Francisco Goya‘s Black Paintings, the latest release from IO is this deliciously dark track that perfectly evokes Goya’s own psychological struggles and anxieties. With an otherworldly vibe, and strange haunting field recordings and echoes, this a track that manages to be both reassuring, yet wildly disturbing – offering a vague sense of familiarity, while simultaneously making us feel out of our depth and alone in the dark. Incredible stuff!

Various Artists – Anthology Of Contemporary Music From Far East

The latest release in the impressive “Sound Mapping project” series from the Unexplained Sounds Group label is this collection of Far Eastern dark ambient / drone / experimental music, featuring tracks from China, Japan, Indonesia, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Nepal. The music here varies in genre and style, but each and every track is fantastic and has something to offer the listener, so whatever your tastes, this album deserves your attention. Stunning stuff!

Scott Lawlor – Screaming at the Dark

Scott Lawlor‘s second release on the awesome Slithering Black Records label is this wonderful album of depressive dark ambient. This is an album of bleak, despairing music, that provides the listener with an audio experience that is the equivalent of finding yourself dragged into purgatory. And I mean that in a good way – yes, this beautifully haunting music is dark and suffocating – but listening to it is an incredibly rewarding experience. Highly recommended!

Sam – Organic Faith

The latest release from Sam is Organic Faith – a fantastic 3 track album of acoustic guitar based dark ambient / drone. With bluesy undertones, this is another quality release from this talented musician who has created their own distinctive ‘guitar dark ambient’ sound and continues to develop that with each every album. This is one of those albums that sticks in your mind when it’s finished playing, and you find yourself drawn to it again and again. Beautiful.

Archaic – Into The Void

The latest release on the Zero K label is Into The Void by Archaic (the electronic music project of Jelle Groen and Pieter Hooghiem). The release notes say that “Discovering the complexities of modular synthesis and navigating the labyrinthine pathways of signal flow, they created intricate eerie sonic landscapes” which summarises this brilliant 43 minute track perfectly. Minimalistic, electronic, and glitch filled, this is provides a delightful sonic journey into the realms of wires and circuits. Amazing!

Scott Lawlor – The Road of Peril

The Road of Peril by Scott Lawlor is an impressive release by this talented musician. The music here is a wonderful mixture of dark ambient, drone, and ritual ambient, with religious and spiritual undertones. This is perfect for listening to on a rainy day, as you consider yourself and the choices you’ve made, and the choices that still lie ahead of you. Every time I listen to this album I lose myself deep within the music. Simply mesmerising.

Click on the below image to go to this month’s This is Darkness playlist on BNDCMPR, which features 1 track from each of the above albums:

Here are the dark ambient albums that we at This is Darkness have been listening to this month – some are new releases, but a few are older gems we’ve just (re)discovered.

Please check these out by clicking on the Bandcamp link next to each review (or by clicking on the BNDCMPR link at the bottom of the page), and please consider supporting the featured artists. Enjoy!

Atrium Carceri & Kammarheit – Apparatus

Cryo Chamber continues to be the genre leading label for atmospheric soundscape dark ambient, and Apparatus, the latest release from Atrium Carceri & Kammarheit, is yet another stunning piece of audio excellence. With analogue tape reels, haunting electronics, pulsating basslines and massive reverbs, this is an incredible listening experience best listened to on headphones in a darkened room. If you like cinematic dark ambient then this is an absolute must have. Seriously impressive stuff!

Dronny Darko & ProtoU – Acoustics of Shadows

Also on the Cryo Chamber label is Acoustics of Shadows, the new release from Dronny Darko & ProtoU – a gorgeous drone ambient album full of layered textures and otherworldly soundscapes. Striking the balance perfectly between a sense of calm and feelings of disquiet, this is a warm and dreamy album that offers something different each and every time you listen to it. I’ve had this on repeat play since I first heard it, and it just keeps getting better and better. Simply wonderful!

System Exile – New Innsmouth

I’m a huge fan of The Shadow Over Innsmouth (the 1931 horror novella by American author H.P. Lovecraft) and for quite a while now I’ve been looking for a dark ambient album that captures the mood of the book. Well, my search is over – New Innsmouth by System Exile is the perfect soundtrack to the novel. With an underlying sense of menace, and haunting drones paired with subtly added field recordings, this is a truly impressive album. On the strength of this album, I will also be checking out other releases from System Exile, and I suggest you do the same. Awesome!

The Deep Bleed – Machines That Search for God

I’m a huge fan of Inner Demons Records (IDR), who describe themselves as “a transparent, artist-owned, liberal / left-wing, d.i.y., experimental music and noise label” – with each and every one of their releases offering something new and exciting to explore. The latest to grab my attention is Machines That Search for God by The Deep Bleed – a 2 track EP of industrial-tinged experimental drone and pulsing noise-scapes that is captivating from start to finish. Highly recommended for those who like their albums with an attitude and edge!

Akoustik Timbre Frekuency – Namu Myoho Renge Kyo

I’ve been a big fan of Akoustik Timbre Frekuency for quite a while now, so I was thrilled when I learned he had another release on the way! Namu Myoho Renge Kyo is an album of shamanic ritual dark ambient, providing an incredible soundtrack for meditation, reflection, and consideration. As usual with releases on the Sombre Soniks label, the production quality is of the highest order, and this is one of those albums to lose yourself too as you lie back, and contemplate your path to enlightenment. Stunning!

Lazharus – Scorn Zone

Now this is very cool! An album of dark ambient / drone / doom, by experimental metal duo Lazharus on which they experiment with electronic sounds, drum machines and synthesizers to create something very special indeed! The 2 tracks from this album have been stuck in my head since I first heard them, and I cannot wait to see what Lazharus do next – because this is seriously good stuff that will appeal to those looking for something that isn’t afraid to try something new, while retaining a coherent sound and mood. Wonderful!

IO – The Unicorn at the Fountain

Brazilian sound and visual artist IO continues to release albums of the highest quality – their music encompassing dark ambient, dark industrial drones, and other cinematic sound elements to create deep and textured ethereal soundscapes. Inspired by the series of seven tapestries known as “The Hunt of the Unicorn” or the “Unicorn Tapestries“, this is another exceptional album featuring gorgeous 5 tracks of dark ambient with goth-like undertones. Beautiful!

Noise Hangover – The End of Everything

With a name like Noise Hangover, you know what to expect from their latest release The End of Everything. The music here is aggressive and harsh, with discordant drone sounds and machine like glitches skilfully combined together to create an audio experience like no other. This is far from easy listening, but that’s the point – this is music designed to grab you by the throat right from the off and not let go. It’s refreshing and powerful stuff, and a definite must have for fans of the noisier side of the genre!

Richard Bégin – Lavrador

New from the ever awesome Reverse Alignment label is Lavrador by Richard Bégin – an album inspired by the polar and subarctic expanse of Labrador, a continental region in eastern Canada. Each track on this remarkable album “seeks to convey the essence of an ecology simultaneously fragile, merciless, and sublime” – combining drones, synths, and field recordings to create deep and textured music that is quite simply breath-taking. This is is one of those albums that is stunning from start to finish. Very highly recommended for those who like a sense of solitude and introspection in their music. Magnificent!

Various Artists – Witchcraft And Black Magic In The United States

Developed from a personal interest in American witchcraft, this latest release on the Eighth Tower Records label sees Rafaele Pezzella bring together a range of talented musicians together to create an album of deliciously dark ambient, drone and experimental electronic music designed to transport listeners into the captivating realms inspired by the witchcraft and black magic in the United States. With each and every track offering something special, this is an album well worth checking out if you are looking to discover some new talented musicians within the the genre. Gorgeous!

Fabio Keiner – Battle Hymn

Another release on the Inner Demons Records label, Battle Hymn is Fabio Keiner‘s rendition of the same named American patriotic song written by abolitionist writer Julia Ward Howe during the American Civil War. These 3 tracks are haunting, experimental pieces, with each offering something a little different, but fitting together perfectly to provide a cohesive listening experience. This is moody, dark and unnerving music, with undertones of introspection and melancholy. Very highly recommended.

The Black Monolith – End And Beginning Are Dreams

End And Beginning Are Dreams – the latest album from Greek dark ambient / drone musician The Black Monolith – is “an immersive musical ritual inspired by Thelema and the esoteric realms of Enochian magic“. This music here is dark and brooding, with a real sense of the otherworldly – invoking primal energies and the spirits of the void. This is a must have for fans of ritual dark ambient and music with an eerie or haunting feel to them. Simply stunning!

Monovoth – Pleroma Mortem Est

Monovoth‘s latest release is an album of wonderful drone / funeral doom – combining elements of the dark ambient and metal genres to produce something truly unique. Yes, this isn’t pure dark ambient, but this is gorgeously dark music that has skilfully created elements of drone and dark ambient contained within it – and the resulting audio journey this album creates is one that will most definitely appeal to those who enjoy dark and brooding music, regardless of the genre. On the basis of this album, I will certainly be checking out the other releases from this Argentinian, one-man instrumental doom / drone metal project – you should too!

P.U.M.A. – Red Winter

P.U.M.A. is a project of sound artist Luca Valisi with contributions from Monica Calanni Rindina, and here they explore various types of “musique concrete” and drone. Utilising synths, field recordings, echoing voices, sequencing, and a large degree of audio processing, the resulting album contains elements of dark ambient, drone, and electro-noise. This is quite simply breath-taking, with each play of the album providing an incredible listening experience of the highest order. One for fans of haunting, ethereal music with an electronic edge. Fantastic stuff!

The Tapes – A Touch of Despair

Oh wow. A Touch of Despair was recorded in 1986, on a standard 2-track cassette recorder, using a 4-channel Fostex mixer (the infamous “echo unit”), a Korg MS-20, and toy instruments. The album has now been remastered and re-released, and is well worth checking out – the music may be almost 40 years old, but it sounds as fresh and exciting as anything being released today, with it’s analogue tones and strange other-worldliness creating a haunting listening experience that is deep and multi-layered and dream-like in nature. Absolutely stunning!

secret places of the lion – Hex

Hex, the latest release from secret places of the lion, is an album of experimental guitar based drone / ambient, that combines elements of hedonism, the occult, and psychedelia to produce an album that manages to sound both familiar, and completely new and original at the same time. Strictly speaking, this isn’t dark ambient, but there are definitive dark ambient and drone influences at play here, and for those who are willing to try something new, this album offers a very rewarding listening experience that will stay with you long after the album has finished. Very highly recommended!

Ceremonial Abyss – Betrayal

The new album from Ceremonial Abyss is another exceptional release of dark, minimal, electronica. The description states that “It’s a love story that slits its own throat, but it’s not a story at all. It’s your life. Your heart beats as a reminder of the beating you’ve taken…” That does a wonderful job of telling you what to expect from this album – music that is poignant, melancholic, and tragic in nature, with a heartfelt tone and mood. This is one of those albums that will touch you and stay with you long after you’ve finished playing it. Beautiful.

VVAA – Rituals from Ancient Europe

This 8 track compilation of ritual dark ambient is an incredibly impressive debut album on the Ominous Sounds label, featuring talented musicians from countries such as Germany, Belgium, Spain, Poland, United Kingdom, Scotland, Malta and Portugal. Each contributed track has something special and different to offer, and yet the album hangs together as a whole – testament to the great work of Hiemis who curated the album. Ominous Sounds is definitely a label to keep an eye on – I can’t wait to see what they release next!

Scott Lawlor – in Brief Agonies of Disillusionment

As regular readers will know, I’m a huge fan of the music of Scott Lawlor – each and every one of his albums is always of the highest quality, and it’s clear that Scott is very passionate about what he does. His latest release, in Brief Agonies of Disillusionment, is an incredible 3 hours and 20 minutes long (!) and is a wonderful piece of atmospheric space ambient / dark ambient / drone. The is an album that I’ve found perfect for both meditating to, and for drifting off to sleep at the end of a long hard day. Simply gorgeous.

Click on the below image to go to this month’s This is Darkness playlist on BNDCMPR, which features 1 track from each of the above albums:

Here are the dark ambient albums that we at This is Darkness have been listening to this month – some are new releases, but a few are older gems we’ve just (re)discovered.

Please check these out by clicking on the Bandcamp link next to each review (or by clicking on the BNDCMPR link at the bottom of the page), and please consider supporting the featured artists. Enjoy!

Sebby Kowal – Wonders

The latest release from the ever awesome Decaying Spheres label, is this album of incredible drone based soundscapes from Polish producer Sebby Kowal. There is a emotional thread running through the heart of each and every track here, and that – combined with the otherworldly field recordings and sound effects – provides the listener with an audio experience of differing moods that range from melancholy and despair, through to hope and a sense of rebirth. Simply breath-taking.

Ceremonial Abyss – Equinox

The new album from Ceremonial Abyss is a wonderful post-industrial / experimental / dark ambient release with 2 distinct sides that compliment each other perfectly. Side 1 has a gorgeous dream-like vibe to it, creating an almost mediative state in the listener. Side 2, in contrast, has a harsher edge to it, but still retains an underlying hypnotic sound that continues from where side 1 left off. This is remarkable stuff – and on the basis of this, I will definitely be checking out more releases from Ceremonial Abyss!

Spanned Canyons – Snowload EP

Back in March, I reviewed the debut album from Spanned Canyons, saying “Looping synths and organ performances are melded skillfully with electronic glitches and field recordings. The end result is like something out of a hybrid horror-tech hallucination – guaranteed to entertain you and give you nightmares at the same time…” Their latest release, the Snowload EP, is just as inventive and just as impressive – featuring 5 tracks of ambient / jazz / post-rock / experimental music. With a remix of 2 tracks from the debut album, a brand new 3-song suite, and a very cool cover of “Race for the Prize” by The Flaming Lips, this is an EP that I’ve had on repeat play since I first heard it. Highly recommended for those who like something a little different.

Facetoucher – Mutations

Facetoucher combines improvised noises with vocals, computer drums, and long feedback manipulations to create otherworldly music that manages to be both soothing and disturbing in equal measure. The tracks on Mutations range from subtly evolving eerie drones, to in your face full on industrial, glitch-filled sonic assaults – leaving the listener bewildered and delighted at the sheer scope and emotive drain of it all. In places, this is a challenging listen, but ultimately a very rewarding one. Absolutely wonderful.

The Washing Planck – Integrale Sui Cammini

The Washing Planck is a musical project by Matteo Mariano and Domenico Diano, that “…utilizes a hybrid system of sound creation, combining analog and digital synths, structured algorithms, and magnetic tapes to create series of generative textures that lead to different paths based on the same principles…” The end result is 2 tracks that share the same inherent underlying DNA, but that each sound unique and offer something different. The music here is minimalistic, with subtle field recordings added to the undercurrent of unfolding drones, perfect for losing yourself to. Gorgeous.

IO – The Creation

The Creation from IO is the latest release in a series of releases inspired by the 51 ‘The Dance of Death’ woodcuts by German artist Hans Holbein The Younger that were developed between 1522 and 1526. This is beautifully done dark ambient with haunting echoes and sounds skilfully combined with evolving drones to create music that is dripping with a real sense of menace. This track, and the rest of the ‘The Dance of Death’ series, is a must-have for fans of dark ambient. Stunning.

Francisco Meirino – Francisco Meirino “A Perpetual Host”

A Perpetual Host is Francisco Meirino’s fourth full-length, solo studio album on the Misanthropic Agenda label, and is described as “A deep dive into personal loss and the banalities of life and art, A Perpetual Host captures the raw, solitary, and often acerbic extremes that drive creation.” It’s a fitting description, because the music here is focused on ‘sonic failures’ (such as electrostatic noise) and utilises field recordings to create music that is designed to challenge. This is one of those albums where each and every listen delivers something new and rewards multiple plays. Highly recommended for fans of the experimental / electronic side of the genre!

jim haynes – inauspicious

The latest release on the brilliant The Helen Scarsdale Agency label is this 2 track album from Jim Hayes, and is described as “… two twenty minute chunks of controlled noise that follow an internal logic that snakes from brooding power drones, spectral radio transmission, and an aktionist demolition cast upon metal, glass, and unfortunate wooden objects…”. Which gives you a great idea of what to expect – music that is as much industrial / noise as it is dark ambient, with rough edges, overlapping noisescapes, and an aggressive subtone that grabs the listener by the throat from the off. Seriously impressive stuff!

Phiorio – The Perpetual Self Doubt

Phiorio is best known for his stripped back techno style, but recently he has ventured more into the experimental and dark ambient territories, resulting in some very special music. The Perpetual Self Doubt is the perfect example of this – with eerie soundscapes combining elements of dark ambient with the repeated loops and rhythms of techno, along with field records and glitch effects. The end result is quite simply stunning, and I found myself lost in its depths each and every time I played it. Wonderful!

Bill Seaman / Tim Diagram / Stephen Spera – The World Was Turning Before

The World Was Turning Before sees Bill Seaman, Tim Diagram and Stephen Spera working together to create an album of delicate beauty and flowing musical collages. This is an album with hidden depths, that draws you deep inside of it as you let the music slowly unfold. With elements of dark ambient, drone, glitch, and electronica, the music here is timeless, multi-layered and multi-textured. Every time I’ve played this album I’ve discovered something new and wonderful, and I’ve found myself drawn back to its minimal tonal gestures again and again. Beautiful.

Neon Noodle – Nostalgism

I’ve been a fan of Neon Noodle for quite a while now, so I’m always thrilled when I get my hands on their latest release. Nostalgism is another impressive release – starting with the deeply disturbing dirge of “Love Is The Only Word” and taking us on through an audio adventure of  doom-gaze, drone, experimental rock, and outside noise, this is one of those albums that stays with you long after it has finished playing. This is not an album for relaxing to, but fans of the noisier side of the dark ambient genre will absolutely love this masterpiece. Fantastic!

Various – Rhan​-​Tegoth

Rhan​-​Tegoth is the latest in the series of H.P. Lovecraft Mythos themed collaborations from the always impressive Cryo Chamber label. Here, over 20 artists have linked studios and sound for over a year to create deep audio collaborative exploration of the mythos and Rhan-Tegoth (a fifteen foot tall, medusa-like, insectoid amphibious Great Old One). With contributions / input from artists such as Atrium Carceri, Gdanian, Tineidae, Skrika, Dead Melodies, and God Body Disconnect (to name just a few!) the music here is of the highest standard, with dark ambient soundscapes perfectly blended together with otherworldly field recordings to create a 2 hour album that is jaw-droppingly good. Like all of the albums in the series before it, this is an absolute must have!

SoRIAH, Norman Westberg and Hans Joachim Roedelius – LUMINA

With LUMINA, world-renowned throat singer/performance artist/shaman SoRIAH returns with an incredible set of two collaborations featuring experimental legends Hans Joachim Roedelius (Cluster, Harmonia) and Norman Westberg (Swans). The music here is majestic, ethereal, and spiritual in both vibe and tone – and is intended to bring peace to the lost souls of those who have recently passed, a common overarching theme of SoRIAH‘s work. This album is also available here on beautiful 10” white smoke vinyl, with a hand numbered limited edition of 350. Simply wonderful.

Autoprozessor – Die Wiederkehr

Now, this is very cool! An album of guitar based ambient, that combines elements of drone and dark ambient with a more guitar centric sound to create an album that is quite unlike anything I’ve listened to for a while. Yes, it’s not as “dark” as a lot of dark ambient, but if you like your music to offer something a little different then this release is well worth your attention – I’ve had this album on repeat play since I first heard it, and I’ve found myself drawn again and again to the subtle soundscapes it contains. Gorgeous.

CrAwE – IC​)​)​)​ENI

As regular readers will know, I am massive CrAwE fan, so when I saw that he was releasing a new album I was absolutely thrilled! IC​)​)​)​ENI is “…Inspired by the original Anarcho-feminist Boudica and the people of the Iceni/Eceni whose footprints in the soil can be felt as I walk my dog Moon in the Norðfolc countryside…” and builds on the previous albums – with bowed guitar / bowed bass, synth, tape loops and field recordings all combining to produce a soundscape to the apocalypse. Here, especially in the first track, the subtle field recordings add an extra level of magic to the mix, resulting in some haunting, goosebump-inducing music. Very highly recommended!

Hiemis – Malleus Maleficarum

Spanish musician, Hiemis, combines dark ambient, ritual sounds, and drones to create albums of dark and disturbing environments. Malleus Maleficarum, as the name suggests, is based on the most famous of all books on witchcraft and perfectly captures the nature of the book that was ultimately used as a manual for the Inquisition in their cruel and bloodthirsty crusade against witchcraft. The music here is deliciously bleak, dark and heavy – and ideal for giving yourself nightmares. Stunning!

Venus Volcanism – Tissue

Venus Volcanism is a vocalist, musician, and sound explorer from the island of Crete, now based in Iceland. Tissue was written and recorded just 40 km south of the Arctic Circle, and combines ethereal vocals, drones and field recordings to wonderful effect. This is definitely one of those albums that is perfect for listening to on headphones as you lie back in a darkened room, losing yourself in the unfolding music. Beautiful.

Cryo Chamber – Dark Ambient of 2023

Continuing their yearly tradition, this is Cryo Chamber‘s annual album highlighting some of their many excellent releases from the previous twelve months. With contributions from Mount Shrine, Crypthios, DUGA-1, Void Stasis, Atrium Carceri, Caldon Glover, Gdanian, Kristof Bathory, and Keosz, this is a great way to discover some new artists and albums, and to explore the dark ambient genre in general. And what’s more, it’s completely free! And absolute must have for fans of dark ambient!

Click on the below image to go to this month’s This is Darkness playlist on BNDCMPR, which features 1 track from each of the above albums:

Here are the dark ambient albums that we at This is Darkness have been listening to this month – some are new releases, but a few are older gems we’ve just (re)discovered.

Please check these out by clicking on the Bandcamp link next to each review (or by clicking on the BNDCMPR link at the bottom of the page), and please consider supporting the featured artists. Enjoy!

Yui Onodera – Mizuniwa

The latest release from Tokyo-based sound artist and composer Yui Onodera is this wonderful collection of ambient drone, created using a combination of sounds including synth, electric guitar and field recordings. The end result is an album of hypnotically tranquil music with a gorgeously subtle dark edge. This album is perfect for losing yourself in as you let the music draw you into its multi-layered depths. Stunning.

Various Artists – Unexplained Sounds Group – 9th Annual Report (Mid Year Edition)

The mid year edition of the 9th Annual Report from the ever impressive Unexplained Sounds Group label pulls together some of the best experimental and avant-garde music of 2023. The talented musicians contributing to the album are from across the globe, and the range of music included here is as equally diverse. Fans of purely traditional dark ambient / drone may not find all of the music here to their taste, but those who enjoy music that pushes the boundaries of the genre will absolutely love the experience of exploring this impressive audio collection. Very highly recommended.

Nihil Impvlse – ANABASIS

The new album from Nihil Impvlse, Anabasis, is an impressive drone industrial soundtrack, which skilfully combine elements of dark ambient, drone and post-industrial music to create something rather special. This is an album that grabs you by the throat, pulls you into the shadows, and then shows you the universal darkness everyone tries to pretend doesn’t exist. With glitches, distorted machine sounds, and eerie industrial drones, this isn’t easy listening – but that’s the point. Outstanding.

IO – Golden Thread

Golden Thread is the latest single by sound and visual artist IO, and is part of a project dedicated to the work of Sir Edward Burne-Jones entitled The Flower Book comprising 38 inspired paintings. This is a wonderful track of dark ambient,  dripping with atmosphere and melancholy, with added drone and industrial elements added to the mix – resulting in an introspective number that I found drew me back to it again and again. Simply beautiful.

Sangam – Rest Assured

The latest release from the awesome Decaying Spheres label is this impressive album from UK based electronic artist, Sangam. Combining carefully crafted synth work with slow evolving drones and subtle vocal flourishes, this is an album full of forlorn melodies and an underlying emotional charge. The music here is perfect for chilling out and unwinding, and I found myself hypnotised by the soothing cosmic soundscapes and undulations. Incredible.

Handalien – Codex Mortis

Slithering Black Records are definitely a label to watch, because everything they have released so far has been of outstanding quality. This release from Handalien is no exception – with doom-laden dark ambient combined with a black metal mindset and threatening drones, this is the stuff of deliciously dark nightmares. An absolute must-have for fans of Lovecraft inspired haunting dark / black ambient!

Fionnlagh – Beyond The Void

I really enjoyed What Came Before and What Came After, two of Fionnlagh‘s previous releases, so I was delighted when he got in touch to announce his new album, Beyond The Void was coming out! The music here is a little mellower than those previous releases, but no less impressive – with slow unfolding drones expertly combined with haunting glitches and snippets of electronic soundscapes that together produce an otherworldly audio experience that is simply breath-taking. Gorgeous.

Sam – Drone Bells On The Field

I’m a big fan of musicians that aren’t afraid to try something a little different, so I was delighted when I discovered this incredibly cool album of country / blues drone, because Polish musician Sam has created something truly original here – combining a chilled out blues vibe with melancholic soul searching drones to full effect. Listening to the gorgeous music unfolding, it’s impossible not to find yourself transported to the wide open prairie of the historic US. Highly recommended!

Yousef Kawar – Unclear Frequencies

The latest album from internationally renowned musician, Yousef Kawar, is this incredible album of eerie, unsettling dark ambient. Each of the 8 tracks is oozing with atmosphere and an underlying sense of dread, and the sonic soundscapes are multi-layered meaning that is something new to discover and each and every time you listen to it. This is definitely an album to listen to on a pair of headphones, as you lie back in the dark, and let the music take it with you. Awe-inspiring stuff.

Mørket – Journey 11

The latest release from Greek dark ambient musician Mørket is Journey 11 – an album that combine atmospheric dark ambient with experimental electronica, to produce an unnerving audio experience. At times relaxing, at others harsh and relentless, the music here is challenging, but equally rewarding – and well worth the time of listeners who are looking for something that isn’t afraid to push the boundaries of both the dark ambient genre, and what constitutes ‘music’. Sublime!

Hali Palombo – Radio & My Voice

Oh wow! This latest release from Hali Palombo – a composer, visual artist and filmmaker from Chicago – is an album that expertly melds dark ambient soundscapes with field recordings and shortwave radio samples, with an end result that is simply stunning. Featuring piano, guitar and saxophone, the music here is organic and multi-layered, with the shortwave radio samples giving everything an eerie and frightening edge. Incredible!

Vyormouth – Liminal Spaces

The latest release from the awesome Zero K label is this wonderful 3 hours long (!) album of dark ambient from Vyormouth. “… Liminal spaces refer to transitional or in-between areas that exist on the threshold between two distinct states or environments. These spaces are characterized by ambiguity, uncertainty, and a sense of being neither here nor there …” The album does an amazing job of conveying that sense of strangeness and ambiguity, with slowly unfolding drones and electronic / industrial sound effects and field recordings. Highly recommended!

A°🄳+S/P°₂₃ – Monolith III

Sombre Soniks releases some of the finest dark ambient / ritual ambient music, and their latest album is a collaboration between two great artists – A Demon Sheen (Grist) and P23 (Akoustik Timbre Frekuency) and features a jaw-droppingly awesome two hour drone / processed guitar soundscape! Perfect for zoning out and forgetting about everything about you, this album is one that deserves multiple listens with something new to discover each and every time. Wonderful!

Click on the below image to go to this month’s This is Darkness playlist on BNDCMPR, which features 1 track from each of the above albums: