Erang

This project was brought to my attention via the superb Dungeon Synth blog. Erang creates wonderful nostalgic soundtracks of (mainly) synth-based music that evoke lost memories and forgotten places.

There are currently two albums available: a self-titled debut, and the recently-released "Tome II"; plus I am reliably informed that "Tome III" will be released before the end of the year. Both albums contain folk-tinged Dungeon Synth of the highest order, contrasting moments of stark sparseness reminiscient of Burzum's "Dauði Baldrs" album, with moments of fantastic grandeur a la early Mortiis. Here and there I also pick up fleeting echoes of artists like Isan and E*Vax; the fragile and nostalgic brand of abstract electronica that sprang up in the late 90s/early 00s in the wake of Boards of Canada and Autechre etc. This however, is only a passing similarity that is heavily outweighed by the more obvious Dungeon Synth qualities.

There is a certain "lo-fi" feeling that creeps through in places, more prominently on the 1st album; a woozy, slightly warped feel to the higher frequencies, as if the music had been recorded on an old analogue tape before being transferred to digital. I suspect (though I may be wrong), that this is a deliberate attempt to give the music a more aged quality. If so, it is certainly effective.

In a scene that is forever dominated by past masters like Mortiis, Erang is certainly among the handful of current leaders who are seeking to keep the Dungeon Synth genre alive and growing.

 

Erang -- "Erang" (2012)

Erang -- "Tome II" (2012)

Both albums can be downloaded for the meagre sum of $2 each (or more, if you choose), from:

http://erang.bandcamp.com