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 links, and consider supporting the artists. Enjoy!

Gaze Into The Void – After The End

After The End is the debut album of Japanese American ambient music producer Blush To The Snow’s side project Gaze Into The Void… and what an impressive debut it is! The music ranges from dark ambient to drone to doomgaze, but it flows together seamlessly, taking the listener on a dark and foreboding journey into the end of times. This is one of those albums that is perfect for playing while you lay on the sofa in the dark and contemplate your own mortality and the fate of humankind itself. Absolutely wonderful!

Shadow Echo Canyon – an endless grey remembrance

an endless grey remembrance is the latest release from Shadow Echo Canyon (aka Luca Tommasini, the man behind the ever awesome Tiny Drones for Lovers label) and is described as “… two tracks, the two side of a loss… a slow and long decay, and the nature of the void…” It’s an apt description, because the music here is heartfelt, solemn, and almost unbearably sad. Minimalist tones are subtly complimented by eerie field recordings and discordant drones, and it’s all incredibly well done, with both tracks imbuing an overwhelming sense of grief. Beautiful.

Various – The Body Of Horror – Music Inspired By The Cinema Of David Cronenberg

Now this is a very cool concept – a compilation of music inspired by the cinema of the Canadian legendary director David Cronenberg! This is a dark, disturbing and sometimes challenging listen… and that’s a good thing! With tracks by Desiderii Marginis, Sonologyst, and Jarl and Kloob, to name just a few, this is another impressive release from Eighth Tower Records and if you like you dark ambient with a twist of noise / industrial then you simply have to check this out. Amazing stuff!

Scott Lawlor – The Only Way to Rid the World of War is to Rid the World of Those Who Send Us Off to Kill Each Other for Lies and Greed and to Expand Their Own Power

Scott Lawlor‘s latest release is this very timely album inspired by real world events and the futility and horror of war. With tracks of dark ambient, industrial ambient, and new age, the album does a fantastic job of expressing in musical form the different aspects of war and the effects war has on people and civilisation at large. This is one of those beautifully multi-layered albums that provides something new to discover with each and every listen, and I will be playing this for a long time to come. Stunning!

Dead Melodies – Memento

The latest album from Dead Melodies is another classic Cryo Chamber release, featuring warm synthetic drones and lush post-rock guitars that come together to create a fuzzy, dream like listening experience. I found listening to this album to be a relaxing and almost soothing experience, especially when I played it on my headphones as I drifted off to sleep late at night. If you’re looking for some dark ambient that is a little less dark and foreboding in nature, then this is very highly recommended. Gorgeous.

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 links, and consider supporting the artists. Enjoy!

Ruins of Xibalba – Gobeklitepe

Göbekli Tepe is a Neolithic archaeological site in Southeastern Anatolia, Turkey that predates humanity’s oldest known civilizations. With his latest release, Ruins of Xibalba has done an incredible job of capturing the mood and feeling of that ancient place – perfectly combining elements of dark ambient, drone, and dungeon synth along with subtly blended field recordings to create an awe-inspiring audio journey back in time. Oytun Bektas (who is also known for his outstanding work under the name of Tir) has created a truly impressive album with Gobeklitepe and if you’re a fan of historical dark ambient then you absolutely have to get yourself a copy of this!

Sangam – Hope You Don’t Leave

The latest release from the ever awesome Decaying Spheres label is this melancholic masterpiece from Sangam. With elements of dark ambient and drone, and an over-arching lo-fi ambiance, this is one of those albums that makes you look inwards, contemplating life and its meaning. The music does a wonderful job of conjuring up feelings of sadness and grief, and in places this is almost unbearably bleak… and yet the underlying melodies are so beautiful that the listening experience is most definitely a rewarding one. Sublime.

PATASONUS – TEXTURA

The debut EP from London based Patasonus features 4 tracks of gorgeous “… textural and expressionist sounds from somewhere in the depths…” – with elements of dark ambient, drone, soundscapes and experimental electronica appearing in equal measure. The end result is an album that takes the listener on an audio journey of discovery, providing both depth and variety while retaining a unified ‘vibe’ throughout. If you’re  fan of the more experimental side of dark ambient then this is well worth your time. Remarkable!

Kaptep – The enemy in me

The latest release from Kaptep is this gorgeously dark and edgy album of industrial influenced dark ambient / drone – brooding drones are perfectly complimented by unnerving field recordings, creating a wonderfully eerie listening experience. I’ve had The enemy in me on repeat play since I first heard it, and on the strength of this have already started checking out his previous releases. Highly recommended for fans of dark ambient / drone with an industrial edge. Fantastic!

The Silent Treatment – I

Now this is very cool. A down-tempo dark ambient / drone album featuring waves of distortion, acoustic guitars, and melancholic undertones – all born out of 3 days of improvisation by the unnamed French duo. This is heartfelt music, with a real sense of sadness and regret running through it, perfect for when you want to lie in the dark with your headphones on and do some soul-searching. Beautiful.

Tineidae – Mothership

Tineidae‘s second solo album on Cryo Chamber, Mothership, is another jaw-droppingly amazing space ambient album – full of pulsing synth work and industrial influences, all masterfully combined with atmospheric field recordings. This is a multi-layered album with so much depth that each and every listen offers some new wonder to lose yourself in. This is an absolute must by for fans of sci-fi ambient. Absolutely outstanding!

Atrium Carceri & Kammarheit – Colossus

Wow! I knew from the opening moments of thumping resonance that I was going to love this new release from Atrium Carceri & Kammarhei… and I was right! As you’d expect from two of the scene’s big names, this is an album of finely crafted dark ambient, featuring atmospheric soundscapes, brooding synths, and subtle field recordings and sound effects. I’ve been playing this repeatedly since I first got my copy, losing myself in the music each and every time. I don’t know how Cryo Chamber continue to release music of such a high standard, but they’ve done it again with Colossus – this is breathtakingly good. Incredible!

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 links, and consider supporting the artists. Enjoy!

Esmam La Crowned – Coup De Grace EP

The latest release from Bangladesh based musician-photographer Esmam La Crowned is this gloriously dark and melancholic album that skillfully combines elements of dark ambient, drone, and electronica. This is a concept album, with the music providing a suitably disturbing and heartbreaking soundtrack to the unfolding tale. Esmam La Crowned has created something very special here, and on the strength of this release I am already checking out his previous releases. Highly recommended for fans of sad and soulful dark ambient!

Dragon & Jettenbach – Tales from the Algorithm

The debut album from Dragon & Jettenbach is this exceptional industrial-tinged dark ambient / drone album. It’s dark, edgy, and disturbing, and it grabbed me by the throat right from the off – pulling me into the audio equivalent of a recurring glitch filled nightmare. And by that, I mean this album is amazing – breathtakingly so! The music is deep and multi-layered, and this is one of those wonderful albums that rewards the listener with something new each and every listen. I’ve had this on repeat play since I first heard it, and if you’re a fan of the more industrial side of dark ambient / drone then you absolutely need to check this out!

Various Artists – Hauntology In UK

The latest release from the ever awesome Eighth Tower Records is a collection of tracks inspired by / paying homage to Mark Fisher, a philosopher, cultural critic and blogger, who popularised the concept of hauntology to describe a pervasive sense in which contemporary culture is haunted by the “lost futures” of modernity, which failed to occur. The resulting music is unnerving, otherworldly and (unsurprisingly) haunting, with each of the nine tracks provided by a different musician and each offering the listener something unique, while fitting perfectly into the overall eerie tone of the album. Wonderful!

Heldentenor – Blood Moons and Black Lakes: Chapter One

Sumatran Black is back with this deliciously dark album of dark ambient / drone / dungeon synth. This is one of those amazing albums where the combinations of genres works perfectly, taking the listener on an audio journey of discover without jarring them out of their reverie as eerie electronica blends effortlessly into ambient soundscapes and again into pulsing synth work. The end result is like listening to the soundtrack to a poignant soul-stirring movie that you know you’ve seen but can’t quite remember. Incredible!

White Sleep – Everything Is Lucid

Everything is Lucid is the debut release from White Light, and features eight tracks of drone / dark ambient… with an added twist of refreshing techno influence to shake things up a little. This is music that doesn’t give a damn about genres, and it won’t be for everyone – but if you love it when your dark ambient / drone takes risks, then you will really enjoy this rewarding soundscape of differing textures and genre-hoping inventiveness. Awesome!

Scott Lawlor – Turn Around and You’re Dead in Your Dreams

Scott Lawlor continues to create and release the most incredibly immersive ambient / dark ambient music, with each album providing the listener with an almost meditative experience. Turn Around and You’re Dead in Your Dreams is no different, with soaring soundscapes that wash over you in waves of mellow synth tones and drones. Scott does an amazing job of creating music that is relaxing and soul-affirming, while retaining a subtle undercurrent of darkness that means it never becomes twee. This is another impressive album from one of the genre’s leading lights, so if you haven’t checked out any of his work before now, what are you waiting for?!

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 links, and consider supporting the artists. Enjoy!

Fionnlagh – What Came Before

The latest release from the ever awesome Ambientologist label is this fabulous dystopian soundscape from Fionnlagh, a musician who up to now had only released techno and drum & bass. Well, I can only say that I really hope Fionnlagh releases more dark ambient in future, because this is jaw-droppingly good – eerie, dark, and brooding. with a real sense of menace running right through it. If you’re a fan of of cinematic dark ambient then this is definitely an album to check out. Wonderful!

Mantis and Shadow – The Rites of Eleusis

Every now and then an album comes along that blindsides you, leaving you emotionally reeling. The Rites of Eleusis is one of those albums. Written as a personal response to the texts of a series of seven public invocations by British occultist Aleister Crowley, this is a slow, somber and heartfelt album. The linear notes also explain that “… this album is an expression of my love for my wife (who died in 2020) and the overwhelming grief I experience on a daily basis. This is for you Viveka… ” and that really comes across in the music – this is haunting and melancholic neo-classical dark ambient, perfect for reflecting on your own life and the lives of family and friends. Beautiful.

Phoan – Ursa Major II

This debut EP of dark ambient / experimental electronica from Phoan (Angelo Panebianco) is impressive stuff. The first track, Der weiße Teufel (The white Devil) is an unsettling piece with an underlying sense of dread and growing horror that increases as the track unfolds. Apophenia (feat. Macrogramma) is a lighter, more uplifting piece, but it’s just as stunning – subtle synth sounds are perfectly blended with soaring drones, resulting in a track that is just gorgeous. Fabulous!

Ryan Gregory Tallman – Tryst

The latest release from experimental composer / sound artist Ryan Gregory Tallman is a beautifully minimalist album of drone / dark ambient that explores the “… all-consuming experience of love and loss… “. The music here is deep and layered, with slowly moving and unfolding pieces of music that draw the listener in, entrancing them in the process. Ryan has released over 20 albums to date, and on the basis of Tryst I will definitely be checking them out, because this is absolutely mesmorising!

Peur du noir – NVU

Now this is very cool – a 4 track EP of improvised pieces by Peur du noir and his friend (and band-mate from a previous band). The music here is synth based dark ambient / drone, with some of it being heavier and almost industrial sounding. Due to the multi-textured nature of the music, this is one of those wonderful albums that reveals something new with each and every listen. Highly recommended for fans of the heavier side of dark ambient or drone. Awesome!

Spacelab – Dead Dimension

The new album from Spacelab brings together aspects of ambient, drone and electronica. The album “… was created during a time of personal pain and unrest, and the deeply felt emotions are palpable throughout its 15 short tracks… he channelled his anger, resentment, anxiety and paranoia into creating off-the-cuff, instinctive music, working in real-time to capture a specific mood and moment in time… “. The end result is a dark and edgy album of tracks that envelope the listener in a wide range of emotive sound – including anger, aggression, heartbreak, and despair. Strictly speaking this isn’t dark ambient, but there are enough dark ambient / drone elements added into the mix that this is definitely worth checking out if the more experimental / electronica side of the genre is your thing. Incredible!

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 links, and consider supporting the artists. Enjoy!

Ov Pain – The Churning Blue of Noon

The latest release from Melbourne based underground record label, it Records, is this wonderful mystic album from Ov Pain, which is described as being “… dark and magical, mixing experimental darkwave with drone and free jazz, with a hint of neo-folk and shoegaze ...” It’s an apt description, because this remarkable album effortlessly blends together a number of genres and styles to create something beautiful and truly unique. The Churning Blue of Noon is an eerie psychedelic soundscape that takes the listener on a heady journey. No, this isn’t strictly speaking dark ambient – but there are definite dark ambient and drone elements in the mix, so if you’re a fan of experimental or transcendental music then this album is very much worth checking out. It’s also worth mentioning that as well as a digital download, the album is available on limited edition vinyl. Very highly recommended!

Various Artists – The Beyond – Music Inspired By The Lucio Fulci Death Trilogy

Eighth Tower Records continue to release original and rewarding music of the highest quality, and The Beyond – Music Inspired By The Lucio Fulci Death Trilogy, is no exception. Featuring 14 tracks from a range of talented musicians, across a number of genres and styles – including dark ambient, drone and noise, to name just a few – this impressive album is an alternative / imagined soundtrack to Lucio Fulci’s “Trilogy Of Death” horror movies. As usual, Raffaele Pezzella (Sonologyst) has done an amazing job of curating this album – each track offers something different, yet they all work together perfectly to create a masterpiece of dark and eerie soundscapes. Wonderful!

Equal Stones – Wretched Human Mirror

Wretched Human Mirror by Equal Stones is, as the title suggests, a thematically dark and desolate album of dark ambient / drone. The music here is dark, brooding, and melancholic – providing the listener with a challenging yet rewarding audio journey of self-reflection and introspection. This is wonderful stuff, and I’ve had this on repeat play for the last few weeks, finding it the perfect soundtrack for lying on the sofa at the end of the day as I mull over the events of the day. With this release Amandus Schaap has demonstrated again what a talented musician he is, and I will be watching to see what he does next with anticipation. Fabulous!

Equal Stones – April Ethereal

April Ethereal is a more mellow release from Equal Stones, though no less impressive. The first track blends thick layered drone with piano and ambient soundscapes, and the second and third both combine static and glitches with unfolding long drones. The resulting music is haunting, deep and hypnotic. Highly recommended!

A Most Accursed – Synaesthetic Dialogue

The latest album from A Most Accursed is a wonderful mix of dark ambient, ritual ambient, and drone – created using an eclectic range of instruments including “… piano, mellotron, ostinato strings, stoner guitars and vintage drums… ” The end result is an awe-inspiring album of gothic soundscapes that will appeal to fans of dark ambient and stoner rock alike. Stunning!

Grist – Another Year

Another Year, the latest release from Grist, is an impressive three track album of dark ambient / ritual ambient, with elements of drone and noise added to the mix. The first track features haunting piano loops and eerie pulsing drones, the second is a chaotic collection of ritual and industrial sounds, and the third a static based noise fest. This is a dark and evocative soundtrack, with the three tracks working together to produce a mesmerizing listening experience that is somehow both disturbing and soothing in equal measure. Wonderful!

Facetoucher – The Plaguetime Blues

Now this is an intriguing concept – real-time improvised voices have real-time improvised effects applied to them. The music of the resulting four tracks ranges from “… minimalist choral drones to twinkling fragmented glitch to frenetic postcybergrind to wall-of-noise…” It’s brilliant stuff – aggressive and challenging in places, gentler and more welcoming in others. Definitely worth checking out if you’re a fan of experimental dark ambient / drone. Impressive!

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 links, and consider supporting the artists. Enjoy!

Various Artists – New State of Flux

The Reverse Alignment label returns with this wonderful compilation of minimal and experimental drone / ambient music, featuring 20 tracks from an impressive rota of talented musicians which includes Sonologyst, SITKA, Jarl, and Taphephobia to name just a few. Raffaele Pezzella has done an amazing job of curating this album – each track offers something different, and yet it all hangs together perfectly, providing an incredible listening experience when played in its entirety. This is one of those sublime albums that provides you with something different each and every time you listen to it. Highly recommended!

These Liminal Days – Empty Spaces 1

Empty Spaces 1, the latest release from These Liminal Days, is a four track album “…exploring some dark and empty spaces…”. The music here is minimalist soundscape with elements of drone and dark ambient added to the mix, resulting in an album that is both comforting and unsettling in equal measure – it provides a relaxing listening experience, but one with an underlying sense of foreboding and emptiness. This is billed as the first in a series, and on the strength of this album I will definitely be checking out later installments. Absolutely wonderful !

Spacelab – Knell

The latest release from Hreám Recordings is this impressive album of experimental electronic / drone from Spacelab. Each of the six tracks here offer something a little different and range from pure drone through to full on experimental. It’s breathtaking stuff that rewards multiple listens and seeps its way into your subconscious when you least expect it. With Knell, Spacelab have created an album that is refreshingly different, and if you’re  fan of drone and experimental ambient then this is very much worth checking out!

Scott Lawlor – Journey of a Dying Girl

Scott Lawlor creates some of the most beautiful and deep dark ambient / drone that I’ve ever heard, and his latest release – Journey of a Dying Girl – is another wonderful example of just how talented he is. This is a concept album that tells the story of a girl who is brutally attacked, has a near death experience, and then struggles to accept she is still alive. It’s powerful stuff, all told through the multi-layered dark ambient / drone music – in places dark and foreboding, in others light and relaxing. Very highly recommended!

Lisa Bella Donna – Mourning Light

Lisa Bella Donna‘s latest album, Mourning Light, is a gorgeous 4 track album that is over 90 minutes long and features some of the most wonderful, soothing music I’ve heard in a long time. This is minimalist electro-ambient music with subtle dark ambient elements added to the mix -absolutely perfect for chilling out to as you lie on the sofa on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I’ve fallen in love with this album, and have already started to check out some of Lisa Bella Donna‘s previous releases. If you’re a fan of mellow ambient then you simply have to check out this album. Gorgeous!