The Nebula Breviary – A Voyage Through The Black Hole With Strange Mono Records

If your seeking a label that incorporates a menagerie of artists from different backgrounds with a broad sense of musical direction, then look no further than Strange Mono Records. Releasing everything from Dungeon Synth and Ambient to Dream Pop and Extreme Metal, Strange Mono knows no boundaries and has safely provided a home for such artists since 2021. Since I’m always seeking the most obscure forms of music around, it’s no wonder that Strange Mono has resonated with me since the beginning. In order to pay homage to this amazing little label, I decided to write a few summary reviews on ten of their latest releases. These albums are all over the place but equally enjoyable – at least to these ears. Enjoy reading these reviews and please consider listening to and downloading some or all of these fantastic recordings.

1. Forge Of Tears – Softly In This Vale Of Tears

What’s more excruciating than a razor burn filled with rubbing alcohol and sealed with a gob of crazy glue? Probably two long form tracks of chaotic noise terror by way of Forge of Chains. With no compassion for delicate, tender moments, ‘Softly In This Vale Of Tears’ is thirty minutes of intense discord that is as addictive as it is disturbing. With an unrelenting wall of modulated audial pungency, Forge Of Tears produces a mesmerizing soundscape for a pallet of maniacal indulgence, not letting up from start to finish and only adjusting the molecular structure of things between tracks. At first you may be in disarray by the abrupt jolt of power but you’ll soon find yourself drawn into a world of corrupt audial sequences. This is a magnificent release on many levels.

https://strangemono.bandcamp.com/album/softly-in-this-vale-of-tears

2. Grey Windowpane – Ice The World

‘Ice The World’ presents nearly seventy minutes of abstract noise intrusion by way of ambient subtleties, haunting voice recordings and an array of soundscape to catapult this recording to its own unique design. As if being dragged through a vast world of distinct cultures and influences, Grey Windowpane finds a way to gratify all of the senses with a massive kaleidoscope of musical happenings. Presented in four elongated pieces, each track extends a sonic adventure of various themes but ultimate create a fabric of likeness and audial intimacy due to its compelling modulated bonding. This amazing album is the result of obscurity becoming an acceptable criterion of musical bliss.

https://strangemono.bandcamp.com/album/grey-windowpane-ice-the-world

3. Thecia – My Sojourn Among The Torturers

Now on to something more abrasive, as Thecia emits an angered, repugnant blend of distorted guitars, thick drum beats and destructive vocals in their brand of unrelenting Death Metal. ‘My Sojourn Among The Torturers’ presents three tracks of ripping metal that fuses Black and Death Metal with a tinge of classic Heavy Metal riffing. This mixing is both loudly askew and causticly raw – the only way to listen to metal in my opinion. The songwriting is incredible and they are perfectly lengthened to maintain headbanging integrity without becoming dry and sparse. I’m definitely looking forward to hearing more from this prominent act.

https://strangemono.bandcamp.com/album/my-sojourn-among-the-torturers

4. Jonathan Patrick – Open Heart EP

Jonathan Patrick gives us an abridged taste of Americana on his soulful new EP, ‘Open Heart’. Featuring two tracks of heartwarming guitar compositions, I can imagine listening to these out in an early morning Midwest setting, where the Dawn of the sun of slightly obscured by thick fog and towering, natural forestry. These tracks sound new and refreshing while providing a proper callback to acoustic classic rock sounds from the 70’s and 80’s. Two tracks just isn’t enough and my hope is that the next Jonathan Patrick release has at least five hundred tracks on it. All jokes aside, this is simply incredible!

https://strangemono.bandcamp.com/album/open-heart-ep

5. Webb Chapel – Speeding

Webb Chapel presents the unparalleled offering, ‘Speeding’, a lo-fi collection of alternative rock arrangements with obvious influences from synthwave, dark pop and electronica genres. This album sounds as if it could have literally been released in 1984. Even with the gnarled production, this entire albums is an addictive listen with impeccable songwriting and masterful musicianship. I could listen to these tracks over and over again without getting bored and as they say, the louder the better! This is a fantastic release that certainly deserves top tier recognition.

https://strangemono.bandcamp.com/album/speeding

6. Clang Quartet – A Slow Death For The Peacemaker

I’ve only recently crossed paths with the musical endeavors of Clang Quartet, but it’s certainly been a pleasant experience getting to know the output of this artist, the values that he represents and the impactful delivery of the chaotic noise that is consistently presented. On ‘A Slow Death For The Peacemaker’, harsh noises are more conservative and are augmented by spoken word segments and bits of contemporary instrumental parts. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a sense of pandemonium, because this albums is a breakout achievement for the Noise Ambient genre. In between the more serene parts we can still find a massive wall of industrialized chaos that is hypnotizing as it is war piercing. This is a captivating album that has earned its praise, but demands so much more!

https://strangemono.bandcamp.com/album/a-slow-death-for-the-peacemaker

7. Idiot Mambo – Flamingo In Limbo

‘Flamingo In Limbo’ is a lighthearted soundtrack of summer rock & pop with a passion for shoegaze and low fidelity tones of the late 80’s. With whimsical instrumentation and jocular lyrics, this is a fun album that can be played and enjoyed on just about any occasion. Adding to the dynamics of these tracks are glitchy samples, hissing loops and slightly distorted melodies that all come clashing together in solid harmony. There are eleven tracks on this album and every single one of them portrays a slightly altered style, but at the same time, is very much an Idiot Mambo manifestation. Whether you need a vibe for a steamy summer drive, or some background music on a gloomy, rainy afternoon, ‘Flamingo In Limbo’ is a sure recommendation in order to facilitate an enlightened mood.

https://strangemono.bandcamp.com/album/flamingo-in-limbo

8. Ruah – Ruwa

Strange Mono continues to hit it out of the park with their consistent picks of amazing talent and Ruah is no exception. On ‘Ruwa’, Ruah continues to explore an array of genres to compliment the stellar vocal arrangements contained within. At times, they tread down the Darkwave path with gothic influences and undertones, while on some tracks, they emit a heavy Swans influence with repetitive music play and looping vocal deliveries. No matter what they’ve intended to explore, each track is an alluring endeavor that stands on its own while delivering an arcane composition with ominous intent. This album is totally captivating and it’s hypnotic effects will leave a lasting impression on the listener, while demanding repeated listens. Perfect for fans of The Swans, Vaura or 80’s Darkwave!

https://strangemono.bandcamp.com/album/ruah-ruwa

9. Ixian – Collective Indiscipline

What do you get when you combine harsh noise with Grindcore and Black Metal aesthetics? You get what’s known as unruly, dystopian cybergrind. As if just having one extreme genre wasn’t enough, Ixian goes all out on the pummeling new EP, ‘Collective Indiscipline’. As deranged as it may sound, there is actually a sense of atmospheric control amongst these tracks, as they provide an overwhelming sense of ominous disarray. Discordant tones and hyperactive drum beats create an onslaught of droll modulations. Although it’s only nineteen minutes in length, a back-to-back listen of all five tracks will have you perspiring an illusive sudor, while your brain continues to scramble in a desperate exodus of audial release. This is a very intriguing album and I would recommend this to fans of all forms of extreme music.

https://strangemono.bandcamp.com/album/collective-indiscipline

10. Fugue State – Subtlety’s Dead

Fugue State presents an upbeat, grungy depiction of old-school punk rock. With reverberated vocals (reminiscent of early Les Claypool), fuzzy guitar tones and audial hisses all over the place, ‘Subtlety’s Dead’ is a proper call back to a time when music was routinely presented in raw form to represent the most jubilant crowds of fractious souls. Even at just sixteen minutes in length, there is enough output here to satisfy the tortured umbra that resides in all of us. This makes for a great driving album, especially when blasting it at loud volumes. Can’t wait to hear more from Fugue State in the near future.

https://strangemono.bandcamp.com/album/subtletys-dead

Links:

BC: https://strangemono.bandcamp.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/strange_mono?igshid=MmJiY2I4NDBkZg==

Merch: https://strangemono.bigcartel.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/strangemono?s=21&t=XJy864ZhViZB0VAW0YrwBw

Multi-Genre Synth Extraordinaire, Jenn Taiga, Cultivates A Nostalgic Collection Of Deft Anthems On ‘Lunar Nocturnes And Esoteric Incantations’

If you’ve listened to Dungeon Synth, Berlin School or any style of Synth music in the past few years, then Jenn Taiga needs no introduction. For all others, well, you’ve been missing out on one of the most talented musicians across a broad spectrum of genres. Last years ‘Plight’, was in my Top Ten list for synth album of the year and remains one of my favorite synth albums of recent years. As time and space progress, I find myself anticipating new releases by my favorite artists – Jenn Taiga included. Earlier this month saw the release of ‘Lunar Nocturnes And Esoteric Incantations’, a collection of six exquisite synth songs that embrace a world of retro darkness and euphoric bliss.

Album opener, “Six Of Swords” first appeared on last years ‘Apostles Against Hegemony, Vol. I: Transitive Properties’ compilation and it was one of my favorite songs from that huge assortment of impressive tunes. Beginning with a dreamy arrangement that slowly builds with haunting leads and cosmic sound effects, this track will surely generate a hypnotic state for the listener and prepare them for the mesmerizing characteristics that gracefully infiltrate the remainder of the album. “Strength” has a beautiful (but mild) Berlin School backing arrangement that is completely lenitive and soothing, while layers of concordant synths provide a rollercoaster of emotive vibes that are unmatched in their scope of memorable influence. Although this track is five minutes in length, I wish that it lasted another ten minutes or so. After a short nostalgic intro on “King Of Swords”, we are treated with a hefty dose of conventional, Berlin School patterns that are soon combined with an ominous arrangement of swaying synth leads and celestial soundscapes that are otherworldly and reminiscent of 70’s retro Space Rock/Synth music that popularized the genre several decades ago. “Justice” is the shortest track on the album at just under three and a half minutes long. However, it’s a monstrous synth piece filled with melody and tasty backing arrangements, making this compact offering a delightful listen. “Braziers Are Burning” commences with a grueling sound, like a distorted warning alarm terrifying an unsuspected community. After that startling lead in, majestic synth offerings come into being and provide a mystical journey of harrowing cadence, cinematic effects and layers of sonic resonance that reveals one of Jenn’s most complete compositions to date. The final symphonic piece on this mesmerizing album is “…As Our Offerings Rise To The Heavens”. At just under nine and a half minutes, it’s the longest track on the album and is an epic ending to this modern-day trip down memory lane. It’s starts with a somber synth fill that sways of lush movements. At just over two minute in, Berlin School melodies permeate the audial channels and we find ourselves falling deep into another legendary excursion. The retro synth patterns are simply amazing and this track is like a continuous build-up to a never ending story. There are several layers of harmony that can be heard in a couple of spots that are hypnotic and could be considered the transcendent soundtrack to a trance-like state of mind. As you continue to ingest the enchanting rhythms of this track, it suddenly fades into the black, leaving you wanting more.

For me, Jenn Taiga is one of the ultimate musicians in the world of synth compositions. Never afraid to venture out beyond a single genre, Jenn Taiga pulls from a wide array of musical aspects to create a sound of her own. Although there is a huge amount of influence from retro synth styles, it’s the polished, modern take on electronic song writing that makes this (and other Jenn Taiga albums) stand out. Whereas ‘Plight’ was in my Top Ten synth album of 2020, there is no doubt that ‘Lunar Nocturnes And Esoteric Incantations’ will be in my Top Ten list for 2021. If you’ve not heard this mind-blowing album yet, please click on the link below and relish in the greatness.

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Links:

https://jenntaiga.bandcamp.com/album/lunar-nocturnes-and-esoteric-incantations

Madame Swann Records Rare Compositions And A Few Original Tracks On Unprecedented Self-Titled Album

Although the origins of Dungeon Synth continue to be debated, there is no question that it’s influences date back centuries. From medieval-era composition to turn-of-the-century neo-classical arrangements, Dungeon Synth has taken great prestige in expanding on these magnificent musical cultures. Madame Swann has done something quite unique on their debut album, in that they’ve taken four previously written compositions from the early 1900’s – that have never been musically recorded – and have given them an everlasting audible experience. In addition, Madame Swann have composed two original tracks to add to this stellar recording, giving their personal stamp on this special album. In all, these six tracks flow with a sense of nostalgia with a minimalistic approach to instrument tracking.

Right from the start, the ominous quality of “Balbec Après I’Orage” shuffles through notes with haunting enthusiasm and presents a crystal-clear production that is even more haunting. Various synth effects present a retro feel throughout the track and it’s just so hard to imagine that this beautiful song was written around a hundred years ago, even though it sounds so up-to-date. “Nuit d’Octobre” is one of the original tracks written by Madame Swann and it fits in perfectly with the aesthetics of the other classical tracks on this album with regards to arrangement and melody beautification. In addition, the minimalistic approach provides such an eerie backdrop to go along with the minor keys that are played in such a masterful structure. “Captive” keeps the same sound, tone and timing as the previous tracks and it simply exudes a combination of neo-classical and retro synth layers to create a lavish sound. Next up is the delightfully toned, “Fugitive”. The production contains a huge wall-of-sound that slowly echoes to create a massive musical endeavor. A faint drone plays underneath a busy synth lead that reverberates a passion for classical compositions. “La Mort De Swann” is a standout track as it contains various sounds and effects not heard on any other track. From deep synth grumbles to high-pitched vibrato tones, this is a short eclectic piece that is too interesting not to be recorded for the first time in almost a century. The final track on the album is another Madame Swann original entitled “Prière”. This one features more of a dark ambient intro with mesmerizing narrations before diving into some serious medieval synth leads. After a few bars of this beautiful sound, it begins to build and layer with additional leads that play in the same style but toned down a bit, creating a really enthralling and adventurous track.

I really enjoy the concept of Madame Swann and the approach taken on this album was done with with extraordinary attention to detail. Containing two original tracks written by the artist and four tracks written by Jeanne Spitz (almost one hundred years ago) but never musically recorded, Madame Swann have released an amazing album of neo-classical/neo-medieval synth music that shouldn’t be pigeon-holed to just those two genres. From the arrangements, instrumentation, musicianship and production, this album presents an all-around wonderful listening experience. Please support Madame Swann and download this amazing album from the link below.

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Links:

https://madameswann.bandcamp.com/releases

Regen Graves Delivers A Synthesis Of Krautrock And Space Ambient On Vintage-Styled Offering ‘Herbstlicht’

I don’t usually start my reviews by discussing my opinion of album art, however, I think artwork is an intricate part of the listening experience, especially for the dark ambient genre. For me, when listening to dark ambient, the emotional experience is just as important as the music itself, because it free’s your mind without limitations and allows you to drift off into experiences that you may not be able to encounter in a lifetime. The cover art is equally important because it gives you a first impression of the experience at hand. When I first saw the artwork for Regen Grave’s latest album, ‘Herbstlicht’, I was mesmerized by the desolation and despondency caught in a single image. The gloomy weather, old buildings and empty streets paint a harrowing story of something menacing that could have happened during that time period. Although herbstlicht is German for Autumn Light, this cover depicts a particular dismal coldness that could have a reverse meaning. Musically, ‘Herbstlicht’ is chilling dark ambient with a vintage tone that could very be the soundtrack for what is happening in the album art. That’s why the entanglement of artwork and music is so important.

Eerie album opener, “Das Morgengrauen” begins with a low end bass drone that pushes the frequency spectrum with its tonal distortion. Also featuring some space ambient atmospherics, the high pitched synth effects randomly penetrate the atmosphere with discord of sounds and noises. “Leere Straßen” starts with an unearthly presence of layered synth sounds that have a dark, ubiquitous vibe. Horror-like keys play a dim melody, adding a sense of frenzied commotion. “Der Erste Schnee” introduces a narrative recording on top of spacious drones, creating an chilling, yet chaotic atmosphere. With a track length of nearly thirteen minutes long, this epic adventure takes the listener through various stages of obscurity. “Besuch” presents horrifying sound effects with inaudible narrations as if a warning message is broadcasting to an abandoned community after a tragic event has occurred. As the warning continues to play, low end frequencies and field recording mesh together to yield terrible uncertainty. “Zersetzung” features percussive elements and melodic keyboard tones in a short, apocalyptic number that sets the stage for the final track. “Rote Blätter” is an eleven and a half minute long track full of demise and oblivion. The synth effects have an abeyance-like nature to them while intermittent intonations seem more strident as the song continues.

Regen Graves epitomizes excellence when it comes to bizarre tones and spacey drones. The minimal use of field recordings and spacey narrations work perfectly with these tracks as they present a graphic story that may be depicted in the cover art. ‘Herbstlicht’ is a very impressive recording that not only has a vintage sound, but also represents the dark ambient genre with superb integrity. Please support this incredible artist and download the album from the link below.

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Links:

https://regengraves.bandcamp.com/album/herbstlicht