The scenic beauty of nature has been the source for countless number of artistic endeavors for centuries and the stories they hold are memorable and irreplaceable. When you combine the scenery from a specific region with a cultural temperament that has been inherited from previous generations, the story telling can become quite grim, yet fascinating. For a genre, such as Dungeon Synth, this value still holds true as the listener is use to vacating the premise of vocals for providing a story and relying on the musical experience for setting the scene. This is quite a call to action for the artist that tell the stories with their instrumented crafts, and many are able to capture the resilience of this synchronous endeavor perfectly. Leander is one of those artists, and on his debut Dungeon Synth album, ‘A Journey Lost To Time’, the essence of mountainous isolation is captured beautifully in these five tracks.
“Elegy For Gone Days” begins with a soothing and dreamy piano melody that plays repeatedly until it resonates with the soul. Quietly, synth tones are introduced that resemble more traditional Dungeon Synth arrangements. These haunting sounds have more of a Forest or Fantasy Synth feel as the gentle vibes are warm and extremely melodic. Next up is the heavily percussive “Wandering The Summerlands”, that immediately kicks things off with a thunderous drum beat and synchronized keyboard tone. At around the minute and a half mark, the song settles into a keyboard heavy groove with a steady drum beat that sets a hurried pace. Halfway through, synthwave sounds are introduced, creating a despondent atmosphere that is dark, yet sublime. Without a doubt, this is my favorite track on the album. “Beneath The Ridge” has a low and reserved sound that focuses on the somber tone of the synth notes. The refrain during the last minute or so has an alluring sensation that you’ll not want to end. “In The Deep Glades, A Blade Lies Buried” is a slower-paced canticle that has almost a 70’s progressive/psychedelic vibe to it. The combination of the various synth tracks and the drum beats work really well together. The final track, “A Spirit Kneels By Singing Waters” begins with slow, droning notes that create a haunting backdrop for the spirited keys as they provide a solo story line that transcends the imagination.
Leander definitely uses the landscape and surroundings to his advantage to create isolation-themed Dungeon Synth that is based on the myths and culture of the area. Not only are the keyboard elements on point, but the addition of percussion really oscillates through these recordings with positive effects. I’m really impressed by this debut effort and am looking forward to many more recordings by this talented artists. Please show your support and download ‘A Journey Lost To Time’ from the link below.
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