Lawd, just the opening of this is enough to get your intrusive thoughts whispering… (YES, YOU, WE KNOW!).
An act called Sataray with an album called Nocturnum isn’t exactly going to be three laps around the local country green is it? Upon listening to the first track the listener is unceremoniously flung into a sonic psychotic episode – if this isn’t the soundtrack to the beginning of the end there really aren’t many options left.
It sounds roughly akin to what would happen if you threw a choir singing in St Peter’s Basilica into the sodding Kola Borehole (look it up, we won’t compromise the integrity of our similes for you). This single-woman outfit from Seattle is a fine example of the darker side of ambient.
The excellent thing about this composition is that its soothing evil is ridiculously hypnotic. It’s very easy to lose yourself in and none to easy to come back from (some won’t try, remember them, respect your void brothers).
This is the exact aural backdrop for being possessed like that poor lass out of The Exorcism of Emily Rose, a film that can well and truly get back in its fucking box and stay there. The album goes so out-there that it’s hard to think of it in terms of singular tracks, but closer ‘Maleficum Pt. 2′ is worth a mention as the rhythmic elements take the listener to the point of actively cringing throughout… which is, of course, the desired effect.
Sataray flat out wails into your sound sockets throughout, whilst the slow build of the war drums really paints a scene (it’s the Black Gate of Mordor). Its incredibly satisfying, but also the kind of music that you might put on when you’re ramping up to bash ya nan’s head in for the glory of Morningstar, Prince of Lies, so yeah.
With no beat to cut through this all-encompassing ambient music, we give you ten minutes until you’re looking blankly at the wall eating your own faecal matter. And frankly, as Brexit looms, doesn’t that sound like a shitting free week on the beach?
Nothing matters, we’re through the looking glass anyway so listen to the evil sounds. It’s no more evil than that middle aged bloke down the road waving his copy of The Sun at you.
In fact, that dude’s a thousand times more malign.
Nocturnum is out now on Scry Recordings. Purchase here.
Words: James Clarke
