Fåntratt  Kommer Upp I Tö

Springtime is over and winter is almost here, for those who dare not to go outside I can reveal to you that it is autumn. Leaves are falling down from skeletal trees, cold rain, freezing windy, moldy and carved-out pumpkin heads and people... inside their cosey houses searching endlessly for decent horror flicks on Netflix... This review for one of my favorite acts within the dungeon-synth realm just popped up in my mailbox the other day, and it was released back last spring (22´st of May 2018). The release itself acts out as being a tribute for the season... flowers blooming, the sound of humming bees, birds returning etc (you know the drill!). The album contains 2 tracks, each being an over 17 minutes long. So let´s get to it!.

The first sound of springtime you´ll probably notice (In Scandinavia that is) would be the sound of dripping water from melting ice/snow. The other sensation would be that certain feeling that the very air has changed... the humidity, smell... even the sound! All this is happening at the same time/day, is a very spiritual (and nostalgic) positive feeling/sensation to the human mind and body. Still not sure what I am talking about, then I would suggest giving this first track a listen. We´re are talking about springtime in a Scandinavian forest. The sensual smell of pine-trees... love it. Anyways, the whole track is a very typical (and good) folksy improvised Fåntratt piece except for certain elements on it which almost has a Jarre´ish Oxygen´ish feel to it with extra drone layers. That kind of universal, epic but gentle feel. Great!. Let me just quote one of my very  favorite author (Kenneth Grahame) to put this piece in a nutshell : 

´Spring was moving in the air above and in the earth below and around him, penetrating even his dark and lowly little house with its spirit of divine discontent and longing´

Last/second track on the album called Tjoflöjt Pollenstolle has a darker theme to it. Compared to the first track, this track starts with a kind of... warning for something which is going to happen. I am not sure what the title means (tried Google translate), but I have a feeling that it might have psychedelic themes attached to it?. The consumption of certain mushrooms which only grows in the springtime. That kind of ... ´Oh no, I have just eaten the wrong mushroom feeling... maybe it would just be best if I laid down a bit´. Tiny elements of paranoia creep in, and the comfort from the warm springtime sun isn´t helping much. A slow and crawling sleepy melancholic piece, which might have been an autumn-themed track (if you ask me), fits the scenery perfect if I take a look out of my window right now. Interesting live and instrumental recorded laid-back drums waltzes in... sounds like someone being a creepy crawler. A sound of a vibrating haunted-house synth goes along with the drums. Psychedelic guitars also kick in, almost a 60s vibe/feel to this. Think a slower 13th Floor Elevators doing a soundtrack for an Astrid Lindgren movie. VERY unique stuff here, nice to hear that dungeon synth can evolve into different styles and make it work!

A fantastic and unique treat for the senses, which can be enjoyed in all the seasons!. Headhunt the sold-out tape or get the digital version on Fåntratt´s Bandcamp site!.

Bandcamp: (band)

https://faontratt.bandcamp.com/album/kommer-upp-i-t