Dulvitund - Huldar Slóðir (2014)

A one man Icelandic ambient project, Dulvitund have submitted to me a very impressive EP release here in Huldar Slodir. It's a bit cold, yet quite electronic. I'd almost feel that this kind of music would work in an indie-platformer, particularly in a dark space station area. At least that is what I'm getting from opener “Minningar Um Þjáningar” which is a nice place to start. There's also a bit of what sounds like rustling of leaves, perhaps making me feel that this “base” area of which I imagine myself to be in, is near a forest or jungle. “Huldar Slóðir” feels like it might be found in a cave, on another planet somewhere. The composer here could do quite well for the world of gaming, which I've said before of other similar electronics composers, because simply I'd prefer much of the to the orchestral approaches we've been getting in a lot of games. At least here, the common chiptune reference is still there, which is what I feel is missing from a lot of AAA titles. But that is a rant for another time.

The sound here is definitely of an atmosphere, invoking the ambience that I spoke about in the very first sentence of this review. It is a very kind of “chill” album, but it doesn't quite spell “relaxation.” No, this is something that still feels a bit dark, grim – you might say. Wherever you've found yourself when you start to play this album, it is definitely not a happy place. Saying little more, (as the third cut is in much the same vein as the others) it's safe to say that the soundscapes intended by the cover art have come across very well on this recording. It looked like a black metal album cover, or possibly something of black/death. But that's not what we have here, even though the same sense of dread is roughly apparent.

The artist also released a full-length (Lìfsins Þungu Spor) which you can also find by easily accessing the artist's Bandcamp page. I just purchased a copy of that particular record for a NYOP, which is the best price that I think one can have for anything. Definitely check it out if you're into positively grim electronic atmospheres.

(3 Tracks, 30:00)

8/10