…another review about an older release, short but concise, this time written in dedication to the Noctivagant Collective - this is another one for you, Phillip! And a big hail to Mahdi and all those who strive for freedom, sense and comprehension!
Short introduction… Dodenskald is an outfit by Mahdi ‘Sli’ Salehi aka Arvantah, who was born in the beautiful mountains of Northern Iran. Nowadays, (the project and) the guy (behind it) do(es) live in Japan, close to Tokyo, in case of interest.
Dodenskald and Noctivagant Collective have been working together several times before (the most recent result is the re-issue of last year’s Tehran; you might expect a review on this recording in the future), but this review deals with Black Shift, an EP that was released about two years ago. Actually, there was a single with the very same name, recorded and independently released in Spring 2023, and together with three other pieces (Transmission In Hell, Luminal Master and Red Shift), it got sort of re-issued under the very same working title, Black Shift.
Anyway, this short recording is an introspective, philosophical and gnostic one; I’d like to start with this quote: “A subtle shift of perception overcomes your understanding of origin. A shift of understanding overcomes your subtle perception of origin”. Absorb and analyze…
For sixteen minutes, Dodenskald accompanies us through a vast and floating dimension of transcendental and mysterious Aural Ambience. Transmission In Hell (03:55) initially offers a spirit of meditative quietude and mesmeric introspection. Tranquilly floating waves come with a somewhat melancholic, doomed attitude, and throughout the passage, the essential strength seems to expand. And indeed; towards the end, a hint of experimental fulmination arises. Luminal Master is, with its duration of 05:27 minutes, the lengthiest composition on this EP. It is more abundant than the serene opener, with an increased level of sonic layers and aural details. This track presents a unique concurrence of both hypnotic textures and invocating power, with a prolific balance of explicit integrity and modest exuberance. Next comes Red Shift (02:55), a track covered in a veil of mystique and murk. The combination of gloomy soundwaves and eerie drones works seductive and addictive. The mini-recording ends with the title track, which clocks 03:32. Black Shift fits, like a symbiotic tandem, to Red Shift, with surprisingly ghastly harmonies and intoxicating noisescapes being canalized into an ominous experience. The addition of enigmatically used effects and sounds strengthens the onerous atmosphere.
Strictly informative: Black Shift is released in a so-called CD-jacket, and this in an extremely limited edition. It comes with very sober and somber visual art (a fingerprint, or dunes), in different shades of black.
https://noctivagantcollective.bandcamp.com/album/black-shift
https://dodenskald.bandcamp.com/track/black-shift
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