[reviews] afe116lcd
gydja: helchemy

Before me is a whole stash of releases by the Italian label Afe Records. An independent label run by Andrea Marutti for the incrowd of the ambient, experimental drone scene better known as Amon or Never Known.

One of the new releases is from his hand, but at this moment the CD "Helchemy" by New Zealand artist Gydja is playing. Gydja is a one-woman project from Abby Helasdottir. An Icelandic name hailing from New Zealand, that can only mean extreme isolationism and that is exactly what fits the release - albeit with loads of ritual aspects. Next to that Abby is also active as Clear Stream Temple who released the CD "XVI" on Cold Spring Records.

The two tracks which are both around 25 minutes bear the illustrous titles "The Spirit of the Earth With Venom Intoxicate" and "The Black Sea, the Black Lune, the Black Soll". Hearing these titles you already know there will be poetic, magickal and ritualistic sounds. And that turns out to be quite fitting: ambient soundscapes with sudden moments of harmony, disharmonic atonal miniatures and meditative structures for inner peace.

This album is a perfect auditive guidance for rituals of witchcraft or magick. Limited to 100 copies and as there are way more Wiccans and Thelemites in this world, it would be wise not to wait too long with your purchase.

[Bauke]