#gnome synth

Listen/purchase: Gnomish Delights [split] by Deep Gnome & Springbier

Listen/purchase: The Mushroom Realm by Sprites Of The Wood

Listen/purchase: A Good Day's Rest by Deep Gnome

Listen/purchase: Onto Adventure pt. 2 (demo) by Wyrd Gnome

Listen/purchase: Gnomish Delights [split] by Deep Gnome & Springbier

This artist is close to unsung hero status in DS, despite the steady quality and tremendous range among the projects on this page. This project, in particular, takes on the underused theme of gnomes (truly only Ranseur and Earthencloak, and perhaps a few tracks from Acheulean Forests have taken this theme on).

Naturally, this music is not going to be the bleakest, coldest music. There’s considerable warmth in the steady, interlocking bells of “The Gentle Rains That Bring Forth Life Once More.” This has as much connection to the minimalism of Philip Glass and the early ambient of Eno as it does to DS. But with what feels like only two layers of sounds panned slightly, it is clear that one side stays pretty consistent, while another adds more mischievous complexity as the lengthy track continues. The steady performance and rate of variation works really nicely to keep a listener engaged should they be foregrounding this music, but also a nice texture if one should be reading or otherwise engaged while this music plays.

The second track starts with a gently swung melodic idea that might remind listeners of the brief supernova-trend of Comfy Synth, but this is immediately thrown off by the oddly pulsing second track, again slightly off-kilter, but lining up in cyclic motion with the initial loop. It’s nice that all three tracks aren’t the same length, and I would say this may be the weakest track here in terms of melodic composition, but I find myself engaged nonetheless. These are definitely not all Music Box sounds, but I like the idea that Gnome magick makes the music boxes sound all weird.

Basking In The Warmth of the Midday Sun follows the same formula, although with a slightly more happening at once. The interplay between all three elements, once again all panned for clarity, adds a nice sense of immersion when listening on headphones, and I would highly recommend any listeners do so with headphones here.