Lustmord The Word As Power

Not, you may suspect, the kind of music one wants to hear on a hot summers day like this. Unless your reaction to the sun is to wrap a towel around your head and lie in a darkened room until it all goes away. Despite having released records since 1990 and collaborated with the likes of Clock DVA, Chris & Cosey, The Melvins, Tool and Coil’s Jhon Balance, Lustmord’s signature dark ambience has escaped my attention until now.

Those names above may give you some indication of where it’s coming from. The opening track features dark clouds of low end ambience beneath waves of an ethnic sounding female vocal. There is a gregorian feel to the whole thing with deep voices unfurling slowly and swathes of gently undulating atmospheres. It’s a beatless affair with bass notes occasionally picking out melody, the voice is a strong instrument, various vocalists (including Jarboe ex-Swans) are used to create the layers of dense evocative wordless voice. Deeply atmospheric, the record will be best enjoyed late at night, in silence, possibly in a monastery.