Niklas Sundin returns once more with his vast array of musical ideas which finally see the light of day. Having previously covered both Mitochondrial Sun releases; the self titled debut and the intense ‘Sju pulsarer’, EP release, “Bodies And Gold” looks set to take us in a new direction sonically. Advertised as a more industrial and synthwave friendly release, “Bodies And Gold” is said to encompass degrees of a cold and distant, dystopian future with some organic feeling moments of hope in the mix. As with the previous releases, a different approach to experiencing this is required, taking it in as both individual tracks and as a whole musical moment, so let us go and find a fortune or become one of the many bodies lying about.
Opening the release with the poetically titled “Sic Transit Anima Mundi”, we are treated to a dark and oppressive atmosphere instantly. It makes for a gripping opening with its haunting synth elements which are soaked in reverb and delay, boosting the presence and space in the song they occupy. With its title translated to ‘So The Soul Of The World Passes Away”, the poetic nature is definitely reflected in the music which raises the question, was the track composed to fit the title, or did the title come from the feel of the track? It’s chilling atmosphere certainly helps reflect the thematic nature of its name. The slow pace makes it almost feel like you are watching something expire before your eyes and the way the track tails off is almost like whatever has passed has simply crumbled into dust and nothingness.
The title track, “Bodies And Gold’ moves the experience onwards. Slow and surging samples with a harsh static edge to them come in with a melancholic piano melody accompanying it. As the track progresses, segments of grandiose feeling organs and strings come in and out, adding to the melodic layers and helping lift the mood of the track for brief flashes before the track pulls a total 180, shifting up several gears into a big electronica/synth section. The tempo increase, similar to that of a techno song pushes the track forwards with its newfound momentum and the organ and synth layers pile on, creating a massive sonic overload before it fades out once again. An interesting track for sure, massively dynamic in nature and it shows off a wide range of influences which span plenty of genres and compositional approaches.
“Ghost Of Tradition” is where the synthwave/darkwave begins to become more prominent. Slowly pulsing with a faint electronica beat, it explodes to life round the 1-minute mark conjuring that ever memorable cinematic trope of underground nightclubs in a dystopian future: smoky, neon lights, hazy strobes, glistening sweat and plenty of leather and grime. The hypnotic nature of the synths draws you in as the rest of the musical sections around this core intensify and when the heavy, angular bass synths kick in, the twisting and flashy lead melodies dance around it, enveloping you in this escape from the harsh futuristic reality. “Beams Of Light Through Glass” takes the electronica/synth approach through a different angle, much like a beam of light refracting through a prism. Piercing synth leads over a haunting organ refrain lead to an uplifting and invigorating dance beat loaded with melodic hooks before string sections sweep in, adding more to the layers of sound. The track does tail off to a more sorrowful and subdued section but as this progresses, it begins to surge forwards, loaded with new life. Faster, more energetic and combining both elements of sorrowful sounds and uplifting melodies, it works well, coming to a dramatic climax.
“Rigel Illuminated” is the penultimate track and it brings back some of those cosmic themes from ‘Sju Pulsarer’. Cold and distant, massive sounding due to the reverb being applied with great effect and a steady pace which drives it on, the track has some impressive counterpoint melodic sections with some nicely layered effects in the mix to really boost it. The hypnotic nature of the main rhythmic pulse has a swaying feel to it and it grows with each surge of energy as the track progresses before it fades out, paving the way for the finale; “Velocities”. The closing track; ‘Velocities’, is much more mechanical in nature compared to the previous tracks. With its faster pacing and cold feel, almost like a machine, it once again conjures the images of neon cities at night, smoky and hazy rooms and plenty of futuristic and cyberpunk/goth elements. Making clever use of dissonance and projecting the rhythmic elements over some of the melodic lines, it has a real hardened edge to it. Chaotic effects, blasts of synth and dark melodies create a massive presence which looms overhead, intensifying the oppressive feel of the music but it suddenly fades away as the track simply descends into near absolute silence with the only sound being a faint hum which eventually grows in presence, leading to a sustained resonance which persists to the end of the track, occasionally being augmented by flashes of sound effects and noise samples.
In all, “Bodies And Gold” is a fantastic composition. When listened to in one sitting, from start to finish, you gain an appreciation of the captivating nature of Sundlin’s compositions. With a cinematic score feel, it wouldn’t seem out of place accompanying movies similar to ‘The Matrix’. It has the right balance of electronic elements to traditional melodic approaches and it works fantastically. This is a release I highly recommend listening to as a whole. Forget picking just individual tracks, go from start to finish, experience the soul of the world freeing itself from its mortal body and travelling to a cold and distant dystopian future… After all, with the way things seem at the moment in society, it might just be the case.
(8/10 Fraggle)
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