Dungeon synth
Dungeon synth is a subgenre of dark ambient music that emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The genre employs aesthetics and themes typically associated with black metal[2][3][4] and applies it to dreamier ambient songs.[5] The style is often compared to video game music, as it is occasionally applied in those settings.[5]
Dungeon synth | |
---|---|
Other names | Dark Medieval, Medieval Dark Ambient, Dark Dungeon Music, Black Ambient |
Stylistic origins | |
Cultural origins | Early 1990s |
Typical instruments | |
Other topics | |
The early pioneers of dungeon synth were mainly associated with the black metal scene, but it has evolved since then. Taking the latter genre's primitive, ethereal and often medieval aesthetics and applying them to ambient soundscapes. Classic dungeon synth releases focus largely on recreating medieval musical styles and textures with synthesizers. Other strains draw upon choir-like chants or battle marches for inspiration. The genre also inspired lighter, fantasy-themed releases with more skeletal instrumentation akin to the MIDI soundtracks of video games from the 1980s and 1990s; though the genre's original ethos of foreboding eeriness remains an important foundation.
Notable artists
References
- "Days of Yore: Dark Ambient, Black Metal, and the Birth of Dungeon Synth". February 15, 2016. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
- Neill Jameson (October 16, 2017). "Mortiis: From Black Metal to Dungeon Synth and Beyond". Retrieved January 21, 2017.
- Editorial (2017-03-30). "A Guide Through the Darkened Passages of Dungeon Synth". Bandcamp Daily. Retrieved 2019-03-12.
- Stuart Maconie (2020-05-24). "Dungeon Synth". BBC Radio 6 Music. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
- Guido (July 5, 2017). "Dungeon Synth: bedroom dreaming". Retrieved January 21, 2017.