Have you ever had that feeling where things aren’t right; where the every day normal seems out of place for no reason and without explanation? It’s like that day when you wake up on the wrong side of the bed and nothing seems to go your way, as if you’re momentarily living in an alternate universe with no control over being your true self. That’s the feeling I instantly received when listening to ‘Amalgamation’ by Robert Eggplant. It’s easily, one of the eeriest and discordant ambient albums I’ve ever heard, yet at the same time, it’s so intriguing that I find myself listening to it over and over again. Filled with a multitude of field recordings and magnetic tape loops, ‘Amalgamation’ is like taking a slow motion walk down a busy inner-city street, where all of the activities surrounding you are moving about at a funeral’s pace. The good news is, this album is very captivating and will keep you thoroughly entertained throughout its ten solid tracks.
Right from the start, “Cement Stain” hits you in the face as if you’ve just woken up from a knockout punch or a drunken daze. The curious droning sounds mixed with the bizarre samples and nature-like field recordings are enough to mangle the senses and leave you in an an unorthodox state of confusion. Curiously, you’ll eagerly listen on as there are a plethora of things going on in this track to keep it interesting and entertaining. “Tomb Of Froth” is a reserved drone track with spots of mysterious tape loops that featured slowed down and mangled vocal tracks. Although barely audible, this adds a grim detail to this rather short and peculiar song. “Conversations” begins with a peaceful field recording, highlighting the chirping of birds and splashing water, as if someone is nonchalantly walking down the street after a violent storm. In slowly fades what appears to be the aftermath of looping beats of a Tibetan singing bowl, as multiple layered hisses play on for the majority of the track. “Cave Inhabitant” is another creepy track that lineaments multiple instruments and provide a resounding drone as more tape loops and field recordings augment the free space throughout. “Travelers Of Mold” starts with the sound of vehicles traversing a bridge along an interstate and soon after, amicable keys resonate music that can relate to having blissful emotions. A lower toned drone soon takes over as the background traffic can now be heard traveling over a road during a rainstorm. “Decay Of Decorations” has a very 80’s-ish synth wave sound and various outlandish noises can be heard throughout, giving this track a very edgy feeling. “Bomber In The Woods” has a calming demeanor, with the crackling of a forest fire added in to the mix. The migrating drones take an agitative turn as if there is no resolve from the dangers that lay ahead. “Hall Of Moss” begins with the happiness of chirping birds and a quiet sounding tape loop in the background. As more field recordings are added, the lose drone sounds begin to take shape and at times seem scarce, adding to the mystique nature of the song. “Feast Of YOG” is a compelling track that features a few spots of guitar strums, but is mostly full of engrossed field recordings and low-toned drones. The final track on the album, “Everything Under The Sun Will Parish” has a very smooth and placid drone with minimal field recordings, I guess to signify the end of all things except for nature itself.
‘Amalgamation’ is a very entertaining album and one like I’ve never heard before – especially in the dark ambient genre. Robert Eggplant has fostered a pretty unique sound and I cannot wait to hear more from this artist in the future. This has become my new go-to album for when I need to hear something that’s just a little bit different from everything else. I highly recommend this album so please show your support by downloading it at the link below.
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