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| Cosmic Ocean, 2020 |
"It all began aeons ago,
when man's ancestors picked up a shard of a strange red rock. Its power, which was beyond human comprehension, cultivated dreams."
I know that to many, Dungeon Synth and old-school video game soundtracks go hand in hand. Maybe it’s because both have their roots within the ’90s. Maybe it’s because they share a similar form of escapism. Maybe it’s because of the aesthetic similarities between cassettes and cartridges. All I know is that while sort of seeing an overlap, I never really felt it. That is until Runecaster came along.
Being released in late January by the British DIY label Cosmic Ocean, The Sleeping Sword takes us to the Scarlet Kingdom, across the bleak Dyrne Pass. Its atmosphere is reminiscent of classic video game titles like Chrono Trigger and early Dragon Quest, as there is a sense of adventure, mingled with comfort and wonder. Do not mistake this for chiptune though, as it craftily mixes sounds from that era with the broody undertone that we know from early Dungeon Synth. Step by step, Runecaster takes us through its lore-filled landscapes to uncover secrets that, to some, should have been kept alone.
I’m charmed by how Runecaster managed to capture a sound that balances between being very familiar yet simultaneously refreshingly unique. All twelve songs on The Sleeping Sword vividly bring forth their own setting and feel as if they’re designed to be looped for as long as a player would have needed to progress throughout their surroundings. The occasional recordings of a closing door, rain sprinkling on a rooftop, or sounds that remind me of making a selection within a user-interface, seal the deal when it comes to immersion and story-telling.
A re-release has surfaced this month by Ancient Meadows, featuring a silk-screened patch, two badges/pins, and a hand-crafted bottle of broadleaf plantain salve to cure your wounds from adventuring.
If this does not prepare you for adventure, nothing will.
TL;DR: Dungeon Synth for adventurers that look back fondly at the pixelated tales from the past.
