As one of the harbingers of Psychedelic Dungeon Synth music, Psyclopean has developed a passion for producing an ominous blend of nostalgic Dungeon Synth and curious musical obscurities that paints a cinematic landscape of futuristic remembrance. On the projects latest album, ‘Nostalgiamancer’, Psyclopean reaches deep within the psyche of wistful modulations to deliver an album worth being called a soundtrack for pneumatic endeavors. Over an hours worth of retentive musical excursions (including two epic-sized tracks), this album is one meditate to, as well as to exercise one’s own thought patterns for eternal cleansing.
The album opener, “Hypnosynchromystical Transfiguration” is nearly sixteen and a half minutes of transcending electronic music that is exactly what’s needed to commence this hypnotizing journey. Beginning with retrospective synth effects and a short spoken-word narrative, this track quickly sets a tone for magical and enchanting adventures. Hisses, crackles and pops are some familiar production tactics to give this a nostalgic vibe and thoughts of yesteryear primarily consume the listeners thoughts. Soon after, psychedelic sequences take over and thicken the overall sound, inputting a dreamy sense of melody in the process. As one part flows into the next, we are presented with an arrange of instrumentation, such as acoustic guitar and trance-like percussive elements. As the song seamlessly continues, each phase flows perfectly into the next, allowing the listeners to create their own adventures that match the serene harmonies within. From faster cadence sections to whimsical compositions and exerting in between, this track is such a majestic offering. Up next is “The Uncanny Valley”. At just under four minutes in length, this is one of the shorter songs. However, where it falls short in playing time, it’s made up for in the masterful melodies and impressive use of tracking to make the most out of the lead sections. Beginning with a war-like pounding of the drums, this song transparently molds into several influences before closing in a sea of spacey bliss. “A Walk Among The Ruins” is probably one of the most beautiful songs in Psyclopean’s entire discography. A soothing synth melody continuously plays in the background while haunting orchestrations flow higher in the mix. Creating a landscape of melancholic passion, it’s hard not to elicit an emotional response. Toward the end, clean synth leads breathe new life into the song, as if one is in a deep meditative state or whisked away in a territory of astral projection, where distant stars slowly move closer within reach. “Noble Sons Of Celephais” is more of a Dungeon Synth track in the traditional synth, relying on bold Medieval incantations rather than vivid visions of the imagination. The mesmerizing synth leads mesh well with the background ambience and occasional percussive spots, as there are some massive theatric moments during this five minute masterpiece. “Life Is A Weird Fiction (Which We Narrate To Ourselves)” is the ultimate reputation of what this album stands for and is pretty much an adventure within the adventure. With a playing time of nearly twenty six minutes, there is a lot to uncover in this relic of a story. As the tape hisses commence, so do the dreamy synth leads that are reminiscent of classic symthwave effects. Various electronic patterns are synchronized in a way that shouldn’t work, but this song quickly comes together as a unified musical wonder. There are a lot of ambient patterns, as well as Berlin School sequences that are audible throughout, and it’s all arranged so sensationally, that it’s hard to tell when the various sections of this song begin and end. The assorted tones and effects represent an arrangement of colors and shapes that are dominate visuals for this audial escapade. As the shapes and colors bend and shift, the music takes shape in hypnotic fashion, ensuring that nothing else is interfering with this sonic journey. The final song on the album is “Court Of The Somber Queen” and it introduces some actual singing, slightly distorted by wavy effects. Another short piece, this is a very appealing way to close out this psychedelic experience. Complete with soothing synths and acoustic guitar passages, I get the sense that this is the song that awakens the soul and brings a sense of reality back to the listener.
Psyclopean continues to outdo previous efforts with something bolder, more creative and enjoyable than the last. As a big fan of Psyclopean’s back catalog, I can proudly say, this is the strongest effort yet from this project. From epic song lengths to a variety of tones and effects, ‘Nostalgiamancer’ is the ultimate listening experience for those that enjoy a bit of variety in your Dungeon Synth music. Head on over to the link below and down this album and don’t forget to experience the back catalog as well. This year is already starting off with a bang, thanks to enchanted albums like this one.
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