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, and please consider supporting the featured artists.

Enjoy!

If you have a Bandcamp release you’d like to be considered for inclusion as one of our picks of the month , please email richdodgin-tid@virginmedia.com. Bandcamp download codes for albums to be reviewed are always very welcome, but are not essential.

 

Hand To Earth – Ŋurru Wäŋa

 

New on the Room40 label is this incredible release from Hand To Earth. Combining dark ambient soundscapes and indigenous vocals, this is a haunting, melancholic album with a reflective vibe running through it from start to finish. This is one of those albums that stays with you long after it’s finished playing, and I’ve found myself drawn back to it again and again. Simply stunning!

Dorcas – Dorcas

 

Polish underground label Loża Oficyna has just released Dorcas, by the Italian musician with same name. This wonderful album channels the literary work of Gene Wolfe, with orchestral movements, subtle synth work, and a number of other instruments including hand drum, Tibetan bells, and harpsichord. The end result is gorgeous, with music that is uplifting, mysterious and ethereal. Highly recommended for fans of orchestral ambient or dungeon synth. Beautiful!

 

SPIRIT RADIO – DEW POINT

 

The latest release from SPIRIT RADIO is this breath-taking EP of ethereal, haunting tracks featuring ghostly vocals and eerie otherworldly ambient soundscapes. The listening experience is quite honestly incredible – this is one of those albums that rewards listening to it on headphones with your eyes closed, as you savour the melodies as they wash over you in echoing waves. Very highly recommended for those looking for something haunting yet beautiful. Fantastic!

Various Artists – Bio-Mechanik. Aural tribute to the art of H.R. Giger

 

The latest album on the ever awesome Eighth Tower Records label is this aural tribute to the art of H. R. Giger – the artist best known for his design of the creature in the Alien sci-fi / horror movie. The 12 tracks here do an amazing job of capturing the essence of Giger’s work – where human forms are invaded by machines – with a mix of dark ambient, post industrial, and experimental music. Curated and mastered by Raffaele Pezzella (a.k.a. Sonologyst) this is – as you would expect – eerie, disturbing music of the highest calibre. Incredible!

TH3.DR3ΔD3D.ØN3 – The Echoes Beneath Aetherfall

 

New from TH3.DR3ΔD3D.ØN3 is this stunning album of deliciously dark and twisted dark ambient / drone. The music here is incredibly atmospheric, with cinematic dark ambient soundscapes to die for. I’ve had this album on repeat play since I first heard it, and on the strength of this release I will be following what TH3.DR3ΔD3D.ØN3 do next with interest. Terrific!

Substak – Nexus

 

Regular readers will know I’m a big fan of Substak – their music is always inventive, creative and rewarding. Nexus is another such release – with 3 tracks of evolving drone, each offering something subtly different, but all 3 joining together to create a wonderful audio experience. There s real depth to the music here, and I found myself drawn to it again and again. Highly recommended if you’re  fan of drone. Marvellous!

Carya Amara – Carrion Carya Amara

 

New on the UK Earthrid label is this release of intriguing electronic music from Carya Amara. Combining elements of dark ambient, drone, and experimental and avant-garde music, this is a wonderfully inventive album guaranteed to delight and captivate you from start to finish. Uplifting and dark in equal measure, this is one of those albums that offers something new with each and every listen. Remarkable!

Andrew Staniland – The Laws of Nature

 

Andrew Staniland is considered one of Canada’s most important and innovative musical voices, and his latest album, The Laws of Nature, demonstrates why. Using the EEG mode of the JADE digital musical instrument to create MIDI and audio data from the brain waves of performers from the Kittiwake Dance Theatre, he then shaped and sculpted the resulting MIDI and audio data into this incredible 12 track album of breath-taking electronic / ambient music. Stunning!

Coppergear – Eventide

 

Combining dark ambient, drone, and post-industrial electronica, the new album from Coppergear provides an awesome audio experience that is as rewarding as it is surprising. This is music that isn’t restricted by genre and isn’t afraid to try something different – offering something refreshingly different in this age of risk free pap for the masses. Very highly recommended for those looking for something unique and original. Wonderful!