This is a most welcome discovery by Prophecy that seemed to come out of nowhere but actually comes to us from West Yorkshire where everything is a bit on the darkh side. This is a project from singer songwriter Jayn H. Wissenberg and she has both a captivating voice, sound and presence and it was no surprise really after giving this a couple of plays that I saw that on the strength of this EP Darkher had been invited to play at the forthcoming edition of Roadburn. Apparently this is the first release ‘on a bigger scale’ which means no doubt if you have the first three tracks of this on their original 100 print run issue they are going to be very collectable, very quickly.
Released here with a brand new track for the first time The Kingdom Field starts with ‘Ghost Tears’ slowly ebbing in with an ethereal feel of solitude before the timbre of a big booming drum beat tolls away. Things build and harmonious vocals soothe and swathe through things adding to the dreamy quality and mystique. As this shamanic enchantress vocalises more she has me in her grip with elfin, gothic tones which remind of many but then again are quite unique as they beseech you all the closer to temptation. The song itself although building never quite hits a storm but always threatens to do so, there is possibly what sounds like cello being played in it occasionally making a presence and that crash of the drum really adds plenty of drama. You are well advised to check out the accompanying video for this, linked below.
‘Hung’ melody wise kind of suggests the likes of Radiohead and Muse to me but it is gentle and delicate carried off by the subtle vocals again, listening sends shivers aplenty down the spine. This haunts, there is no better description as it spreads ghostlike tendrils and touches the very soul. It’s absolutely gorgeous even in the understated fashion within which it unveils itself. ‘Forgone’ has a glimmering sparkle of fairy dust about it as it chorally wafts in. Drumming shows more urgency and the vocals are more cohesively forged here as this builds into a slow but shaky rocking beat. Obviously there are going to be people who think along the lines of the shamanic presence of Jex Thoth and maybe even newest revelation Myrkur here but this is a very different place that we are taken to by this sirenesque call. As the music delicately twists and turns I kind of feel like a snake being charmed out of a basket, what witchery is this?
The title track is left to go out on and by now I am definitely in a very mellow haze as it trickles on by working as more of an atmospheric outro instrumental piece after the more defined last number. It feels like there’s a lot of love gone into this and there’s plenty to love within it too. Early days yet but I see quite good things to come from this sorceress in the future.
(7.5/10 Pete Woods)
https://www.facebook.com/DARKHERMUSIC
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