The Ukraine and Ireland are, as far as this EP is concerned, bonded by a couple of things, dark ambient music and famine; historically taking place in Ukraine: Holodomor - 1932–1933 & Ireland: An Gorta Mór – 1845 – 1852. Obviously famine and starvation are not particularly happy subjects and the artists behind the music have conveyed this by the sorrowful mood of the two tracks they each bring to this split EP.
First we have Dark Ages the Ukrainian instrumental project of Roman Sayenko, someone who should need no introduction from his time with Drudkh, Hate Forest, Blood Of Kingu and Old Silver Key. His two tracks are evocative, atmospheric and reminiscent of a lot of the ambient black metal that came from Norway from the likes of Burzum, Mortiis, Neptune Towers and Wongraven. ‘Requiem On The Black Autumn’ has keyboards etching a maudlin and highly sorrowful soliloquy, you can almost feel impoverished people lamenting their dead. Not a lot happens apart from heavily melodic sound which is really quite hypnotic as it draws the listener in. Suddenly the tone lightens with more traditional piano reflecting what could be hope. I am reminded a bit of Baldalamenti here as it takes the track to conclusion. ‘Nameless Common Graves’ has a brooding droning noise augmented by strange sonic sounds emanating with icy tendrils reaching out to clasp the listener. This is again highly atmospheric and really eerie as it sends a chill which cuts deep to the bone. Rising with a string like keyboard sound this reaches a crescendo before slowly ebbing out and leaving us in silence once more.
If anything, From The Bogs Of Aughiska come as a sudden wake up call as the heavy electronic noise of An Gorta Mor comes at the listener like machinery that has suddenly burst into life after being dormant for aeons. This is a lot harsher but not without some ambience and moments of lilting keyboard wafting over the mainframe of the track. There is something both unsettling and calming about it and again the melody is enriched with feeling of great sorrow. A voiceover catches you out as it reflects on the famine like a ghost breaking through the radio airwaves. Finishing the EP we have ‘An Drochshaol’ with distant noise ebbing and flowing into sombre layers of funereal noise and otherworldy tones which pulsate and clamour till they finally die.
This is very much music to listen to alone and probably best experienced in darkness through headphones and if you really want to experience it fully (and I am not trying to belittle the subject matter) on a very empty stomach. The EP is available on 500 edition limited vinyl with beautiful illustrations by Kogaion Art from the link below.
http://www.humanjigsaw.com
Pete Woods
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