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Post by nahadoth on Aug 6, 2017 8:14:36 GMT -5
I think if it's written by someone who is already a fan, and doesn't misrepresent the genre with the intent of some financial gain, there should be no reason for anyone to be upset. I'm sure someone will always be upset that x or y artist is not covered, but better that you write about artists which inspire you, I think.
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Post by thekeeper on Aug 8, 2017 14:43:40 GMT -5
Perhaps 'should' is the wrong question to ask. I think it's a personal matter of how popular each of us wants it to be since it's out of our control now that its online. 'Should' implies a trueness of sorts, that there is a theoretical status that DS is better off not acquiring in order to maintain certain attributes and those attributes should probably be clearly identified if one wants to enforce any kind of popularity limitation. It's a matter of exposure control, which is extremely difficult to do when something exists online. Witch house tried using unsearchable artist names, for one example, but it gave it a gimmick that memetically expanded until it died off. If one thinks it should be less popular, there's not much they can do outside of keeping their own music offline. If one thinks DS can continue on whatever route it wishes, including one of increased popularity, they can continue as they were. I suppose not doing anything new with your own music or being deliberately mean to newcomers would cause some decreased popularity for the genre (or at least your own project), but then what's the point of your self-expression?
Personally, I like the genre small and personal, which it very much still is, but I don't think it needs to or should be any certain way. I don't foresee it getting much bigger than it already some artists get on popular metal labels like Season of Mist or something. I doubt it'll ever be as popular as black metal and I don't think it has a high likelihood of dying off since it's a personal and introverted genre by nature and people appreciate that kind of honesty and wish to channel it. It's a genre of necessity for some artists.
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olofdigre
Knight
digre.bandcamp.com
Posts: 376
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Post by olofdigre on Aug 10, 2017 5:06:08 GMT -5
The day dubgeon synth is too popular is the day when young teenagers start wearing ds-band t-shirts but don't know what thay are wearing.
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Post by andrewwerdna on Aug 10, 2017 6:12:11 GMT -5
I still don't really know how I feel about this. A part of me wishes it had stayed unspoken and another part of me hopes it will get even bigger than black metal.
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olofdigre
Knight
digre.bandcamp.com
Posts: 376
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Post by olofdigre on Aug 10, 2017 7:22:26 GMT -5
I still don't really know how I feel about this. A part of me wishes it had stayed unspoken and another part of me hopes it will get even bigger than black metal. For me it depends of what Dungeon Synth is. If DS is a music style using melodies made firstly by synths to tell stories or building progressing soundscapes with melodies and mode by one man projects then yes it could be made by everyone without me minding it one bit. But if it is a genre as side project to different blackmetal acts or just one man projects doing music about Tolkien and only tolkien or fantasy built on tolkien then it would be pretty boring if the popularity grew too large since there would be too much of a good thing. (I like tolkien synth sideprojects of blackmetal acts). I would say that DS is what I said first and then there could be as many project as there is musicians and everyone could listen without it being a problem for me.
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Post by thekeeper on Aug 10, 2017 10:18:45 GMT -5
Maybe we could frame this in an individual project sense, in terms of personal intention. You can probably tell I'm not the kind of person to say how things 'should be' or what people 'should do', typically, but I think DS in particular, more than other genres, letting itself be affected by popularity or exposure is weird. For myself, I don't really care if my own music goes unnoticed. I make things for myself and the act of creating physical editions or putting something on bandcamp is more of a means of closing/sealing a creative flow that led me to create that work than it is a need for others to give me confirmation. Kind of like once it's out into the public, it's released into the ether and there's a feeling of completion. It's great when people react positively, but recognition is nonessential for me. Other people may treat this differently. I think with DS, even though its a very personal genre, it might be a self-affirming genre for some. By this, I mean that when an artist puts their work, their fantastical escape, into a release and puts it out for others to listen, the recognition or positive reaction to it is affirming to the individual and legitimizes their inner-world. Maybe that's a sort of extroverted introversion, getting the communal and affirming feeling through the proxy of your art, so then popularity is positive feedback/confirmation for the artist's ego and imaginative alter-reality. I entirely understand the reasons for this psychologically, but it still can lead in unfortunate directions. I think it's because wanting (albeit needing) people to like or listen to your work can sometimes lead to appeasement and negotiating your honest output for an image of acceptance. I'm not saying that people shouldn't want their music to be listened to, I'm saying that popularity shouldn't compromise their output just because it can feed the ego. Positive feedback is always going to be ego-feeding (and feeding the ego in and of itself isn't necessarily bad), but there are good and bad ways of dealing with that kind of positive reaction. The good would be inspiration to continue on your own path, the bad would probably be changing your output to gain acceptance. Artists have to deal with their own popularity personally as not to compromise their output.
All this being said, I think popularity in DS is well managed among the 'big name artists'. Take Erang for example, he's done his own thing since day one, experimented, expanded, and his popularity is in part due to his sincerity, with the music being at the forefront of people's love for him. I think that's great.
Do you think DS is less or more susceptible to giving into ego-hunger? I'm inclined to say less.
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Post by chaucerianmyth on Aug 11, 2017 0:17:12 GMT -5
I think the great thing about DS is that the larger artists got somewhat popular within the genre on their own merits, and so they have no incentive to compromise for popularity.
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Post by Pilgrim's Shadow on Sept 2, 2017 14:17:42 GMT -5
Hey all, i remember some of you were curious about the article i wrote, so here it is: www.reshimotohu.com/articles/#/songs-of-dreaming-kingdoms/And here is the translation: Songs of Dreaming Kingdoms
Anyone who likes Black Metal knows that the genre acquires, among other things, a great passion for fantasy literature. And in this desire: in its depths of the underground, at the gates of where the forbidden gods dwell, or at the bottom of an ancient tomb of a terrible sorcerer (each person has it differently) - this place reveals a rare treasure that only the one who sought it, often unconsciously, manages to find it.
This is Dungeon Synth - the music and soundscape in the inner worlds of the humble creators, who always engraved the fantasy literature on their hearts. As the name suggests, they tend to use synthesizers and electronic virtual instruments to create a dreamlike sound that matches the concept. In recent years, the genre on the margins has received much more attention.
Simply and generally, think of Burzum's famous Ambient albums as an entire genre that has evolved and changed over the years, in which the artists express their inner worlds in a highly intelligent range of emotions, but in the most homely and modest way.
This is, by the way, where the explanation of the “Underground” ends; Because it is not a scene with a certain ideology or an anti-establishment movement, and the community does not seem to make any effort to remain on the sidelines. It is simply an Internet community that shares a common passion, The reason they are on the margins, is because of the natural personality of the music.
Many of the works tend to sound like old recordings, or have a slightly more avant-garde sound. In some cases the melodies themselves may be too minimalistic or 'experimental' for most people, and that is because they are always created from a personal and internal place that not anyone can connect to. It's okay, there's no attempt to make money. Most artists, including the known ones offer their albums for free download.
The emotion in this music is not expressed with tearful violins or bombastic orchestras, but in the dreaminess and the out-worldly bizarre atmosphere that characterizes the genre. Empathy with the artist plays a significant role here, because there is a kind of understanding between people with a strong desire for fantasy, who are fleeing from reality to this “escapists nexus”. It is easy because there is no distance between the artist and the listener, although this also depends on the extent to which the artist chose to remain anonymous.
The community is of partnership. Although there are some artists more loved than others, the existing discourse in the community is encouraged to create and express the inner world, of what the to be-artists really passionate about, even if it is not necessarily something that supposedly goes "by the book". This allows creators in the genre to produce an amazing circle of various works that express a wide range of emotions and provide a platform for experiences and innovations.
Burzum is only one of the founders, there are many others and earlier ones, such as the Ambient albums of the original bass band of Emperor, Mortiis, and the album Fjelltronen, Released under the side project Wongraven of Satyrcon’s lead vocalist. Jim Kirkwood, creator of electronic music from England, is responsible for the earliest release of what is now considered Dungeon Synth with the album Where Shadows Lie (1990).
During the first wave, the term "Dungeon Synth" did not exist. The genre developed through the side projects of Black Metal bands that produced ambient albums in the same vein. These usually dealt with topics related to fantasy, mythology, Paganism, and Satanism
The origin of the genre's name was and seems to be dim, but it is likely to be something that grew out of Mortiis first ambient albums, which he called “Dark Dungeon Music”.
It is important to mention that during this period there were no such materials on the Internet. Those interested could hear this music only if they encountered the correct tape. Today in the age of the Internet, the genre breathes a sigh of relief in the growing community, although all the underground supporters do not have to worry about that. As noted, it is the nature of this music that keep the genre on the sidelines. Or maybe I'd better say it this way: there probably will never be a Reality-TV program to be shot on an island with a haunted castle where Corpse Paint-clad contestants have to survive against Varg Vikerness chasing them with a knife.
Note that ambient music existed since the 70's long before Black Metal was influenced by it. And as Black Metal is a completely different genre, so is Dungeon Synth different from its 'spiritual father' despite its similarities. In its contemporary form it is Inspired by other musical styles such as Video Games Soundtrack, other types of electronic music such as Drone, Noise, Berlin School, Chiptune etc, rock, folk and musical melodies from the ancient world. Still, the scene is very connected to its sources. Many albums sound like an old recording deliberately and sometimes even released on a tape. Like many other medias today, Dungeon Synth also has a strong element of nostalgia, which makes sense for a genre music that tend to express an inner world.
To describe the variety of Dungeon Synth styles I will present to you some of my favorite albums and describe them in general (Notice that the albums shown here are not selected just because they are considered a "must" album, they are simply my favorite).
Jim Kirkwood - Master of Dragons (1991)
You may be familiar to the classics black ambient roots of the genre, but another important source of Dungeon Synth's development is the electronic music artist Jim Kirkwood, influenced mainly by the ambient music of the 1970s and the Berlin- School. Apart from albums with a general surrealistic concept, he also produced albums that are strongly influenced by the literature works of Tolkien and Moorcock. It is not clear whether he knew the black metal scene on the days when this album was released, but later on Kirkwood shared an action with modern Dungeon Synth artists.
Onoskelis - The Golden Temple of Onoskelis (1997)
This album was released during the classical era of the genre but was not considered a classic album. "The Golden Temple of Onoskelis" is an excellent example of home production, built on very artistic ideas and minimalist melodies. For example, the Synth plays an analog piano that sounds as if it is out of tone, When Pitch-Bending is sometimes used. There are also theatrical screams, with "raw" sound, all enveloped in a mysterious, haunting fantasy atmosphere with the sound of an old recording.
Erdstall - Caverns of Endless (2013)
The style in this album is known as "Dungeon Drone". It is an hour of pure horror fantasy in an obscure world full of sorrow. The sound of the minimalist synthesizer succeeds in creating an atmosphere an adventure of supreme importance, which is condemned to bitter fate from its earliest moments, and thus accompanied by sorrow and suffering to its tragic end.
Chaucerian Myth - The Canterbury Tales (2016)
Do not think it is all about minimalism. I present here one of my favorite albums, which is 3 and a half hours of delightful music with complex, developing and interesting melodies. Nonetheless, the work is full of the same soul and desire characteristic of the genre. The artist was influenced by the "Canterbury Tales" - a medieval literary work that depicts a group of 30 pilgrims with different positions from the three classes. The book is a collection of tales through each pilgrim tells his story. The album devotes a complex musical piece to each of the tales. The music combines influences of medieval music with advanced rock classics from the 70's, mainly King Crimson and Rush.
Roman Master - Roman Master (2017)
This is without doubt one of the more obscure works of the scene. The album is defined "Dungeon Noise". This experimental work sounds like something composed, among other things, of the synthesized sounds of a human voice that was cruelly distorted, and then used to record melodic. Sometimes accompaniment does not match the melody. All of this compound creates a cynical and morbid listening experience. The names of the songs in the album deal with defeat in battle and self-death. It is possible that according to the historical and fantasy subject implied by the name of the album and the names of the songs in it, it is a glance at the mind of a man who loses his sanity while dying painfully on the battleground of the Roman Empire. Let the imagination go wild, that's the best we can do to understand this bizarre masterpiece.
Fief - II (2016)
I would like to sign this article happily with this peaceful work that meets the definition of Idyllic Synth. The album presents no conflict, but explores a world that appears to be calm by every angle from which it is examined. It is a warm, pleasant and joyous music. The artist uses virtual instruments in the sound of flute, guitar, harpsichord and the like, which are presented in sound that does not sound like synthesis at all. It is even possible that the guitar is not synthesized but recorded. In the less restful parts they seem to be full of happiness and sound like dance music in the woods, Undoubtedly, this is an album that is a real escape to a world that is all happiness, calm and all-good.
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Post by chaucerianmyth on Sept 2, 2017 22:58:49 GMT -5
Hey all, i remember some of you were curious about the article i wrote, so here it is: www.reshimotohu.com/articles/#/songs-of-dreaming-kingdoms/And here is the translation: Songs of Dreaming Kingdoms
Anyone who likes Black Metal knows that the genre acquires, among other things, a great passion for fantasy literature. And in this desire: in its depths of the underground, at the gates of where the forbidden gods dwell, or at the bottom of an ancient tomb of a terrible sorcerer (each person has it differently) - this place reveals a rare treasure that only the one who sought it, often unconsciously, manages to find it.
This is Dungeon Synth - the music and soundscape in the inner worlds of the humble creators, who always engraved the fantasy literature on their hearts. As the name suggests, they tend to use synthesizers and electronic virtual instruments to create a dreamlike sound that matches the concept. In recent years, the genre on the margins has received much more attention.
Simply and generally, think of Burzum's famous Ambient albums as an entire genre that has evolved and changed over the years, in which the artists express their inner worlds in a highly intelligent range of emotions, but in the most homely and modest way.
This is, by the way, where the explanation of the “Underground” ends; Because it is not a scene with a certain ideology or an anti-establishment movement, and the community does not seem to make any effort to remain on the sidelines. It is simply an Internet community that shares a common passion, The reason they are on the margins, is because of the natural personality of the music.
Many of the works tend to sound like old recordings, or have a slightly more avant-garde sound. In some cases the melodies themselves may be too minimalistic or 'experimental' for most people, and that is because they are always created from a personal and internal place that not anyone can connect to. It's okay, there's no attempt to make money. Most artists, including the known ones offer their albums for free download.
The emotion in this music is not expressed with tearful violins or bombastic orchestras, but in the dreaminess and the out-worldly bizarre atmosphere that characterizes the genre. Empathy with the artist plays a significant role here, because there is a kind of understanding between people with a strong desire for fantasy, who are fleeing from reality to this “escapists nexus”. It is easy because there is no distance between the artist and the listener, although this also depends on the extent to which the artist chose to remain anonymous.
The community is of partnership. Although there are some artists more loved than others, the existing discourse in the community is encouraged to create and express the inner world, of what the to be-artists really passionate about, even if it is not necessarily something that supposedly goes "by the book". This allows creators in the genre to produce an amazing circle of various works that express a wide range of emotions and provide a platform for experiences and innovations.
Burzum is only one of the founders, there are many others and earlier ones, such as the Ambient albums of the original bass band of Emperor, Mortiis, and the album Fjelltronen, Released under the side project Wongraven of Satyrcon’s lead vocalist. Jim Kirkwood, creator of electronic music from England, is responsible for the earliest release of what is now considered Dungeon Synth with the album Where Shadows Lie (1990).
During the first wave, the term "Dungeon Synth" did not exist. The genre developed through the side projects of Black Metal bands that produced ambient albums in the same vein. These usually dealt with topics related to fantasy, mythology, Paganism, and Satanism
The origin of the genre's name was and seems to be dim, but it is likely to be something that grew out of Mortiis first ambient albums, which he called “Dark Dungeon Music”.
It is important to mention that during this period there were no such materials on the Internet. Those interested could hear this music only if they encountered the correct tape. Today in the age of the Internet, the genre breathes a sigh of relief in the growing community, although all the underground supporters do not have to worry about that. As noted, it is the nature of this music that keep the genre on the sidelines. Or maybe I'd better say it this way: there probably will never be a Reality-TV program to be shot on an island with a haunted castle where Corpse Paint-clad contestants have to survive against Varg Vikerness chasing them with a knife.
Note that ambient music existed since the 70's long before Black Metal was influenced by it. And as Black Metal is a completely different genre, so is Dungeon Synth different from its 'spiritual father' despite its similarities. In its contemporary form it is Inspired by other musical styles such as Video Games Soundtrack, other types of electronic music such as Drone, Noise, Berlin School, Chiptune etc, rock, folk and musical melodies from the ancient world. Still, the scene is very connected to its sources. Many albums sound like an old recording deliberately and sometimes even released on a tape. Like many other medias today, Dungeon Synth also has a strong element of nostalgia, which makes sense for a genre music that tend to express an inner world.
To describe the variety of Dungeon Synth styles I will present to you some of my favorite albums and describe them in general (Notice that the albums shown here are not selected just because they are considered a "must" album, they are simply my favorite).
Jim Kirkwood - Master of Dragons (1991)
You may be familiar to the classics black ambient roots of the genre, but another important source of Dungeon Synth's development is the electronic music artist Jim Kirkwood, influenced mainly by the ambient music of the 1970s and the Berlin- School. Apart from albums with a general surrealistic concept, he also produced albums that are strongly influenced by the literature works of Tolkien and Moorcock. It is not clear whether he knew the black metal scene on the days when this album was released, but later on Kirkwood shared an action with modern Dungeon Synth artists.
Onoskelis - The Golden Temple of Onoskelis (1997)
This album was released during the classical era of the genre but was not considered a classic album. "The Golden Temple of Onoskelis" is an excellent example of home production, built on very artistic ideas and minimalist melodies. For example, the Synth plays an analog piano that sounds as if it is out of tone, When Pitch-Bending is sometimes used. There are also theatrical screams, with "raw" sound, all enveloped in a mysterious, haunting fantasy atmosphere with the sound of an old recording.
Erdstall - Caverns of Endless (2013)
The style in this album is known as "Dungeon Drone". It is an hour of pure horror fantasy in an obscure world full of sorrow. The sound of the minimalist synthesizer succeeds in creating an atmosphere an adventure of supreme importance, which is condemned to bitter fate from its earliest moments, and thus accompanied by sorrow and suffering to its tragic end.
Chaucerian Myth - The Canterbury Tales (2016)
Do not think it is all about minimalism. I present here one of my favorite albums, which is 3 and a half hours of delightful music with complex, developing and interesting melodies. Nonetheless, the work is full of the same soul and desire characteristic of the genre. The artist was influenced by the "Canterbury Tales" - a medieval literary work that depicts a group of 30 pilgrims with different positions from the three classes. The book is a collection of tales through each pilgrim tells his story. The album devotes a complex musical piece to each of the tales. The music combines influences of medieval music with advanced rock classics from the 70's, mainly King Crimson and Rush.
Roman Master - Roman Master (2017)
This is without doubt one of the more obscure works of the scene. The album is defined "Dungeon Noise". This experimental work sounds like something composed, among other things, of the synthesized sounds of a human voice that was cruelly distorted, and then used to record melodic. Sometimes accompaniment does not match the melody. All of this compound creates a cynical and morbid listening experience. The names of the songs in the album deal with defeat in battle and self-death. It is possible that according to the historical and fantasy subject implied by the name of the album and the names of the songs in it, it is a glance at the mind of a man who loses his sanity while dying painfully on the battleground of the Roman Empire. Let the imagination go wild, that's the best we can do to understand this bizarre masterpiece.
Fief - II (2016)
I would like to sign this article happily with this peaceful work that meets the definition of Idyllic Synth. The album presents no conflict, but explores a world that appears to be calm by every angle from which it is examined. It is a warm, pleasant and joyous music. The artist uses virtual instruments in the sound of flute, guitar, harpsichord and the like, which are presented in sound that does not sound like synthesis at all. It is even possible that the guitar is not synthesized but recorded. In the less restful parts they seem to be full of happiness and sound like dance music in the woods, Undoubtedly, this is an album that is a real escape to a world that is all happiness, calm and all-good.
This is so cool! Is the original language Hebrew?
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Post by Pilgrim's Shadow on Sept 3, 2017 8:53:41 GMT -5
This is so cool! Is the original language Hebrew? Thx! and yes it is.
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Post by chaucerianmyth on Sept 4, 2017 17:11:37 GMT -5
This is so cool! Is the original language Hebrew? Thx! and yes it is. That's awesome! There's now a Dungeon Synth article in Hebrew! Very cool! I wonder if it's the first of its kind?
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Post by thekeeper on Sept 5, 2017 9:57:29 GMT -5
Nice article. All my nano-genre titlings are being used more, interesting to see.
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Post by Pilgrim's Shadow on Sept 5, 2017 15:39:24 GMT -5
That's awesome! There's now a Dungeon Synth article in Hebrew! Very cool! I wonder if it's the first of its kind? Haha, well, It is not very known in Israel, i never encountered anything about Dungeon Synth in hebrew. I only talked with one person who knows of it (the manager of the magazine). this is one of the reasons i thought it is important to write the article. There is however an Israeli DS album from 1994, "Return to Mesapotemia" from "Ashmedai", but very few people in general know of it, and it never really published. (It is from the BM band "Melechesh" We do have a lot of BM in here).
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Post by Pilgrim's Shadow on Sept 5, 2017 15:39:58 GMT -5
Nice article. All my nano-genre titlings are being used more, interesting to see. Thx! and yes, your "sub-genres" definitions were quite bright, i had to use them. I also put on the original article a link that sends the reader to the first page of the topic "Charts" and described them as a portal to know DS better.
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Post by Carl Shoemaker on Sept 5, 2017 21:56:40 GMT -5
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