The last time I encountered Nagaarum was in 2018, when this one-man ambient experimentalist released “Apples”. To be truthful, I found that one a bit too obscure but was pleased to have the chance to listen to more of Nagaarum’s black world of space and science. And with this title, you’ve got to guess that it’s all about the science, or perhaps I’ve been listening to too many government briefings. Incredibly, “Covid Diaries” is Nagaarum’s 19th album in less than 10 years.

In fairness, this is as far from a government briefing as you can get. We enter dark space and float around. There is a bit of narrative. The scene is gloomy and tragic. A haunting voice creeps across the turgidly atmospheric spacescape, I suppose you might call it, while a growling voice informs us that “new eyes have been given to our hitherto blind sockets”, belying the lack of optimism in this “Prelude for 2020”. The narrator returns, evoking colours and then Newton, I’m guessing Isaac Newton, as we drift away in the droning sound waves of “The First Ingredient”. It’s a game of patience as ponderous fields of energy drift across our horizon. Now “Superstitious Remedy” promises doom-like sludge. The world is now heavier and pumping like Blut aus Nord. A man screams desperately. There is menace. A female-sounding voice gravitates operatically above the ever-heavier sound. “Yersinia says: I’ll kill you” marks the start of the electronically black threat-laden “Competitors”. This statement is supplemented with detail and threats from two further named parties, leaving us in no doubt as to our fate. From the relative levity of “Competitors”, we are taken the deeper and more industrial post-metal world of “I am Special”. The repetitive electronic drone leaves us gasping for air. “Liquid Tomorrow” starts with a longish narrative in what I assume is Hungarian, before a heavy industrial drone enters proceedings, and a rasping voice preaches a world of hallucination, failure and ignorance in the face of wider forces. It’s very effective, not just because of the musical power, but also because of the deeply haunting and human chorus that accentuates this world of hopelessness and gloom. There’s something psychedelic and sci-fi about all this, but this isn’t the place for fantasy. To heavy sludgy sounds the lady now takes over and narrates her apocalyptic vision in tones of sheer threat.

“Covid Diaries” is not of this world and nor was it meant to be. Yet the image of virus particles which you see on Sky news is here, floating around and passing through time and space in a way that cannot be controlled while bringing a sense of sheer horror and menace. Match this with heavy black post-metal drone, and you have in “Covid Diaries” a deeply atmospheric and disturbing album.

(8/10 Andrew Doherty)

https://www.facebook.com/nagaarumband

https://ngcprod.bandcamp.com/album/covid-diaries-experimental-ambient-metal