VERLOREN SCHATTEN – VERLOREN SCHATTEN
Don’t be ashamed if you have never heard of Verloren Schatten before: this is their very first recording. It is released on the Omnempathy label, curated by Michael Begg, who also produced the album.
Verloren Schatten (‘Lost Shadow(s)’) is the duo of Petra Brücken (Germany) and Heike Engels (Scotland). You won’t find much information online when searching for their names: Michael Begg persuaded them to develop an online profile, so you’ll only find them on Bluesky until now (@verlorenschatten.bsky.social). But don’t expect to find much background information there: the duo remains mysterious.
“We make musik (sic) of the sacred night. We break into churches after dark to play our songs.”
But this debut album does not sound like it’s their first attempt at creating music: “There is a viscous nocturnal quality to their music that gives credence to their claim of performing after hours in churches. The synths are deep and velvety dark, often counterpointed by passages of strings that call to mind the mathematically precise mysteries of holy minimalism.”
To describe the music on this album, I’ll simply copy part of the liner notes, because I would not be able to write a more seductive description than this:
“Tasting notes: The nostalgic erosions of William Basinski, the glacial chamber drift of Stars of the Lid, the nocturnal evanescence of Eno’s 1970s ambient, the persuasive mass of Abul Mogard’s modular storms, the alchemic process and microscopic patience of Alexander Knaifel and Arvo Pärt, the velvet depths of Faith era The Cure, the DIY clatter hacking of Malaria! the reverb trails of Pauline Oliveros…”
Somewhat over the top, of course – a list like that may set the expectations a bit too high.
But if it triggers you to check out the album, that’s fine.
Verloren Schatten is a digital-only release.
SINIUS – THE SILENCE BEFORE THE HAUNTING
You’ll need to take some time exploring this album: the 35 tracks on The Silence Before The Haunting add up to 3 hours and 57 minutes! A dark and chilling four hours filled with dark ambient “designed to conjure the very essence of dread and anticipation, much like the ominous calm before a storm or the desolate beauty of an abandoned house”.
‘Dark Ambient’ can be a difficult label, a genre description raising prejudices of ‘easy trickery with churchbells and chanting monks’. A bit like ‘new age music’ filled with ‘sounds of waves and singing dolphins’.
But those are the clichés. In the right hands, the music can create fascinating, often cinematic, atmospheres. It can “evoke a sense of forgotten histories, lingering presences, and quiet decay that holds untold stories within its shadows.”
And Sinius (Daljit Kundi, UK) definitely has the experience to do so. In the past he has released quite a lot of music for various films and video productions – most (if not all) related to the paranormal and the haunting. Besides his work for films and video, he also released quite a lot of EPs and albums (on his own online Sinius Productions), as well the collaboration album Embryology with Purl in 2023 (on Past Inside The Present).
The Silence Before The Haunting is “a journey into the liminal space where the veil between worlds thins, a perfect companion for late-night musings and explorations into the unseen.”
I assume it’s no surprise that, due to the length of this album, it is only available as a digital download.
As a side note:
For video creators who want to use this music in their content, Sinius offers an interesting option, especially for YouTube creators: simply use it. The YouTube Content ID system will automatically detect it, which means that a portion of the ad revenue will automatically go to Sinius, but without the video being taken down. Music licensing made easy! For use outside YouTube, written permission is still necessary.