Buried Finds #1
Welcome to the first installment of the new column, Buried Finds. Here, we look backward in time, digging deeper into the silt. I’ll recommend a few older releases in each post.
Our first selection is Oblio by Harrogat, released on December 2, 2024. It is an album running over an hour, featuring only one track but plenty of subtlety.
Æscesi’s Clausurah is a mystical, ritual dark ambient release. It features eight numbered pieces filled with rich textures and deep, growling noises. Listening to it feels like visiting an ancient monastery devoted to a god you’ve never heard of before – and one who clearly doesn’t care about your happiness.
Binary Wrath by ANCST blends a wide array of influences into one album. From cinematic dark ambient to industrial, sometimes venturing into dungeon synth territory, this is a truly unique release. It is highly recommended if you’re in the mood for something more powerful and aggressive.
The next one was released back in 2017 by Svartsinn, titled Mørkets Variabler. It features the slow, sometimes lyrical, sometimes disturbing type of dark ambient one expects from him – perfect for lying down in a dark room with headphones to give it your full attention.
Magnor by Kristoffer Oustad is a more recent album from 2025. It leans toward an industrial kind of dark ambient, though it is far from ANCST’s thumping beats. The sounds were created with analog and modular synthesizers, lending a “Berlin School” feeling to the tracks. However, it is much more atmospheric and cinematic; my favorite track, White Sacred Arrow, could easily serve as a movie soundtrack.
Llyn Y Cwn’s 2023 album, Posidonia, is short, featuring only three tracks, yet it remains a massive experience. The music is composed of field recordings from the British coastline, masterfully transformed into beautiful soundscapes evoking oceanic themes. If you only have time for one of these recommendations, let it be this – and not only because of its length.
These artifacts remain as vital now as the day they were unearthed. Listen deeply, and perhaps you'll find something that resonates within your own silence.
Until the next excavation.