If you were not aware of the upcoming Great Lakes Dungeon Siege (GLDS) featuring artists apart of the Great Lakers Dungeon Synth (also GLDS) scene, then allow this compilation to serve as an introduction and potentially invitation. 2024 has been filled with many things related to live DS and the inaugural festival in Fort Wayne Indiana serves as the first chapter to a story which began sometime ago. Compilations have always been wonderful at a survey of a scene and something like, which has been crafted by the people inside, is an invaluable artifact to something for archival or promotion for upcoming the events. I have also been informed that if you are attending GLDS, this compilation will be available in cassette and probably sold by one of the artists on the tape.
I have been a big supporter, patron, and instigator of dungeon synth’s friendship with new age. Personally I feel both styles overlap both sonically and spiritually and DS artists embracing, or continuing, exploration into new age is nothing short of fascinating. Woodland Meditations is from Canada and uses the majesty of the British Colombia wildlife, specifically PKOLS or the Mount Douglas park in Saanich, British Columbia. III is dedicated to this region with field recordings pulled from its locale and inspiration directed towards the space. Woodland Meditations, as a whole, is dedicated to this region with now three volumes of meditative prayer focused in tribute to its natural surroundings. At home artists using music and nature as a way to find meaning in the world is fascinating if not a heartwarming blueprint for the future.
The saga of Faery Ring goes back to 2016, when this UK artist released A Kingdom Beset By Despair which was a landmark album for the burgeoning online DS scene. Faery Ring would continue to release morose synth up until 2019 where the project would go into hiding to almost be washed away in the ocean of time. Mys & Frox is the return of the project with perhaps some of the most cheerful art ever to be on a Faery Ring record. Mys & Frox is advertised as a “Dungeon Synth Romance” with mice knights who are noble and frogs that can wield magic. Despite this seemingly bright subject matter, the music of Faery Ring is a continual walk along a grey landscape split between the dark and the light. The return of Faery Ring also brought joy to many people who it seems were just waiting for something like this to return.
Tales Under The Oak has been consistent in their output of regularly scheduled albums which are borderline amazing. This German act combined melodious atmospheres with high fantasy artwork from Vitaliy Ilyin all set in a homemade world called The Swamp Kingdom. This world also has a map which is included in the download of the album and we all know how everyone loves maps. And Yet Another Journey Begins continues this fanciful world building with a new record which is magical and emotional all at once which makes me want to live in the Swamp Kingdom even more. I actually don’t know if I should want to live in the Swamp Kingdom but this feeling can not be denied.
Nuovaera is a project from the same person who helms Sidereal Fortress. Just last digest I wrote about the return of this Italian project with resurfaced demos from 2020. Today another project is restored and this one is pastoral new age. Nuovaera had two releases in 2020 with Arcadia being the fourth release on Fableglade Records. Breathe of Life is ..well..a breathe of life into the project who has begun a new four years later. Breath of life is frankly amazing since the time that has passed between the releases feels like nothing at all and the drive of artist is bright and ever moving forward.
A Good Mage is the project for the Neverwoods curator and creator. 2020’s A Good Mage Is Hard To Find was one of the first records released by this US based label and was one of my favorites of the that year during the Pandemic. Neverwood has been tireless in bringing their own as well as other music to light. Pages of Light is seeing release digitally for the first time since the creator wanted to prioritize other tape releases before this one. Thought he release date says 2023, we are just going to spiritually accept this as a 2024 release.
Tags: adventure synth, comfy synth, dungeon synth, fantasy synth. These are things I can support and want for the future. Moss Knight strikes me even before listening to the music. An album full of short songs with the song titles perhaps longer to read than the music allows all arranged on a page like some lovey shrine to imagination. The music of Moss Knight feels enchanting as if you are a person lost int he woods and stumbled upon a little fairy city who offers aid in your travels. Once you fully settle in and see the immense enthusiasm for the music, it really feels as if this artist is one of the torchbearers for comfy synth as it travels through the years. If the food based titles were not enough, the music of Moss Knight is comfort food for the soul and Adventures Across Hearth II is your long rest before traveling out in the morning.
I really have no idea what to think about Spife. In fact I am more confused than anything which means I am in the right state of mind to listen to Spife. Spife is a US based artist who has had many different iterations of personality. The Wizard in the Field is not dungeon synth and in fact it could considered more psychedelic folk, in the style of early T.Rex, but played at 4am. The result is an uninhibited dive into the mind of its creator often amazing and frightening at once. There is a freedom in this music that seems like it would be made regardless if anyone paid attention. The fact that people are is is amazing as this is music made by a traveling troupe of bards who haunt Renaissance Fairs.
“This EP is about vanquishing your foes with religious fervour. Recorded unprofessionally in MMXXIV at the Arctic Circle. Everything played with Roland JV-30.” I like this statement on the record as I feel it capture everything I love about this genre. Outside of the Arctic Circle which is super cool, the work of Finnish artist Squire embraces all of the aesthetics of a genre including cover photography which have a surreal comedy about it with a squire knee deep in Scandinavian snow. Blessing of the Lady is for fans of extremely old school DS to the point where you might be dressed up in chainmail holding torches for fading light.
Looking at Ancient Kingdom releases once is greeted by a lot of albums which were released in 2024. Each release from Ancient Kingdom feels like a handwritten love letter written to no one in particular and placed in a drawer. These letters, which are a lot are for anyone to open and find. Some of them are letters written to dragons, video games, or dungeons or in the case of Obsidian Gates, a short vignette of “Dwarven Druids of the Red Mountain.” Obsidian Gates was recorded in real time using a looping pedal and reverb and its naivety is encased in time. Whether or not that sort of thing appeals to you, the embrace of improvisation, limitations, and errors continues to be an aesthetic and guiding light for many.
“Debut album from duo based in the United Kingdom with loyal allegiance to the mighty Atlantean sword. ” This is a promotion from Fogged Entity which carried the tape version of Celestial
Mourning, the debut and only release from Paladin. I do not know what it means but it possible mean that Paladin is a side project of Atlantean sword. Who knows? What is known is that Paladin is a striking winter synth project that crafts icy sculptures which populate a somber gallery of snow. I feel the mystery combined with the sole product of the project is enough for deep fascination.
“Труп Колдуна (trans. Warlock Corpse) is a dungeon synth / raw black metal project. Underground music from another world, where magic, dragons and evil warlocks exist, created on vintage synthesizers and recorded on cassette tape.” Sometimes I feel the best explanation is Bandcamp bios. there is is. Everything you need to know. If you wanted first wave black metal just dorkier and less filled with hate and more soda, please come and join us for our B/X session of DnD with Return of Dark Sorcery. I do not think I would have known about this release outside the excited murmurings of people. The experience of Warlock Corpse is a costume party where we all dress up as our favorite monster, wear plastic masks, and dance respectfully in graveyards.