Artist: Ancient Kingdom
Title: Ancient Feud
Type: Album
Label: Sokol Keep / digital
Between the efforts of Fogged entity and Sokol Keep labels, Italy’s Erestor and in particular his raw, improvised project Ancient Kingdom, have begun to settle quite nicely into my library of go-to dungeon synth music for particular moods. This one, with that truly masterful cover by Simon Ekert just leapt out at me.
‘Riding Towards The Flames’ with its deep throated drums and the rise of an epic synth sound immediately puts you into the world of Ancient Kingdom. You feel as though preparations are under way before your eyes; the slow, subtly adding to the sounds heightening the readiness. It is such a sound of glory rising. ‘To win any feud you must fight as if you are already dead…’ say the legend, and the steady beat simply builds up that stoic determination.
‘Ash Plains’ has a curious light, almost dancing air to it. Somehow though the tune that threads through this land may not be one that brings a dreariness or mournful emotion, more that regardless of the name, or the reason, there is still beauty and history here. However the journey does indeed lead to ‘Fight At Dawn’. The drumbeat befits a challenge, or even an execution. The lightness of the journey here has gone and now the heightened synths offer a restatement of determination. The flute sound takes an almost gentle tone with the listener and seems to build the sound, raising the fear and the excitement and the acceptance.
This is truly exceptional. The ease with which the world around be fafed and in its stead the feeling of entering in to witness the end of a lifelong trial is magical. A few notes perfectly placed and we are there. ‘Blood-Red Sunrise’ is simple and ominous and yet rich in feeling. ‘Shattered Spears’ is brief as the snapping of wood, but of a strange stillness whereas ‘Echoes Of Battle’ lays the scene bare. The deft and subtle addition of layers in this music is just enchanting; a beat, a synth wash, the melody, the highlights to the tune all growing from the roots and moving in a beautiful, rich and majestic sway. It simply holds you and allows the world to flower.
‘Scorched by Fire’ closes our journey. As what has come before there is no burst of violence, no anger here. That may seem strange but perhaps these things happened so long ago, so far away that what we hear are the echoes of history and the talking of the land that saw these things.
Whatever, this is an incredible work of improvisation to create a portal to a world of deep emotion and high honour, of feuds and of the final end.
The arrangements, the sound, the layering of melody upon melody yet creating no distractions, only wrapping you in more folds? Masterful work indeed.
Gizmo
Walking The Liminal Space 