Saturday 10 August 2013

Seth Nehil - Lair (Draft Records)



Enter the Lair, if you dare - it's not for the feint-hearted, nor is it bog standard dark horror ambient fare, the kind drooled over by electro-Goths flirting with Old Nick. I shouldn't even mention the genre, but with titles such as Filmy, Blade and Dense you might think Seth Nehil's in that realm. Bulk, for instance, has the feel of Morricone's best horror scores, complete with wordless female vocals, but Nehil creates much more than a simple homage.

It's more like being stuck in a lift with Francois Bayle and Pierre Henry in a bad mood - yes, that good. But unlike Bayle's epic compositions, Nehil's are bite-sized, the longest being 4.20. He packs a lot into short spaces though, so perhaps it's best to mention Dense, in which hobgoblins chatter, the earth rumbles and beasts seem to prowl.

This is sound art psychodrama of the highest order, loaded with little details which ensure that repeat plays are rewarded. There are even brief bursts of sub-bass, but Nehil's never going to be mistaken for anything like a post-Dubstep or Dance avant-gardist.

Have a look at his Bandcamp page (Knives & Furl are recommended).

His site is here

Draft records

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