Musterion - The Black Lodge [Horus CyclicDaemon - 2006]The black Lodge tries to create its own environment with which to tell a darkly surreal tale. With a mix of; shadowy ambience, soundtrack elements, along with all manner of found and environmental sound. Sadly for most of it’s playing time, it seems too unfocused, interesting and darkly charming structures appear, but are too quickly are wiped away by audio flotsam and jetsam. The story centers around Agent Dale Cooper from the Twins peaks series and his journey into Black Lodge and by all accounts another dimension. There’s all manner of odd ,surreal and trying to sound mysterious dialogue appearing though out, which tries to hold together the loose audio shingle soundscapes. But really it just seems to make little sense, and for that matter has little atmosphere. It’s recorded well enough and clearing there’s an understanding of sound layering, but it just never really jells, and when it does shake up some dreadful and nightmarish quality, it either fades into treading cliché dark ambience or complete changes tack. This really showed promise with the impressive over sized arty packaging and grim illustrated booklet, but sadly it just goes from one mediocre sound world chapter to another. Roger Batty
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