I’ve always found it fun and necessary for me to change up my listening habits every now and then. A simple change of pace and breath of fresh air is the sort of thing that can reinvigorate the mind in a way, and for me, whenever I feel a need a quick moment away from the metal and rock it’s to the world of ambient that I turn to. Dark ambient, in particular, I feel especially drawn towards, and I couldn’t tell you why as it’s just one of those things. And, as usual, almost whenever I want to take that quick step aside it always feels as though there’s new material from Moloch Conspiracy for me to dive into, and it’s no different this time around!
Whenever I venture forth into the world of dark ambient there have been two real constants that have helped guide my way through the darkness: Eighth Tower Records (yet another piece for them coming soon) and, as you might’ve guessed, Moloch Conspiracy. There’s something about each album that this French artist has created with each album of his that constantly draws me back, and it’s with “Kur” that we see the material not as menacing as some past work, but more unsettling if nothing else. With seven tracks to call its own, “Kur” wastes no time but simultaneously bides its time as to really work its toxic magic to great effect so that by the time the subtle punch really comes in, Moloch Conspiracy has you exactly where it wants you to be. We’re trawled through truly heavy atmospheres that lay over you like a lead blanket to only burden your load further with many different themes coming at you from all sides that are completely your’s to pick apart. Perhaps Moloch Conspiracy takes you to a set of circumstances where children have been robbed from the world in vicious fashion, a terror in the night in a traditional setting somewhere in the East, or the dripping corridors of some forgotten ruin in some forgotten corner of the realm. “Kur”, like all dark ambient that I’ve come across, does well to achieve its goal of taking you all over to different sights and become unnerved by the darkness of it all or even become enraptured by it like I have, and it’s with Moloch Conspiracy that we see arguably his most accomplished recording to date take a life of its own and become something that’s truly worthy of sinking your teeth into to dismantle it all and know why the darkness is the way it is. Or maybe you’re like me and just allow it to wash over; your choice.
I have found that there are a good number of people that view any sort of ambient music or anything of the like to be no more than background music or something to literally put you to sleep. And while that’s not a bad use of the style per se, there’s so much to dig into with this style as it’s one of the styles of music that’s wholly your’s to interpret however you please, and Moloch Conspiracy feels like a great testament to that. “Kur” shows me what I’ve seen before from this guy, but it’s with each successive listen that it becomes clear that Moloch Conspiracy is learning, and something truly excellent is sure to be on the horizon in the future.
LISTEN to “Kur” on Bandcamp here.
LIKE Moloch Conspiracy on Facebook here.
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