Kerker - Paysage d'Hiver (1999)
In the wake of a melancholic chilltooth for atmospheric black metal, DSBM and Winter Synth, I've unknowingly began a few discographies the past couple months. One such band is Paysage d'Hiver, an unavoidable titan of transportative winterswept aesthetic. The one-man-band's late-90s CDR and tape releases via Kunsthall have scratched my polar itch nicely. Although nothing I've heard yet (including the subject of this post) have blown my socks off, I get the impression that it's only a matter of time until something in his catalogue does.
Kerker's approach to setting d'Hiver's typical atmosphere is an unexpected departure from its predecessors. The low production value is far more dominant and swallows up the neighbouring instrumentation. Gone are the icy wails of guitar, instead replaced with a persistent rumble that absorbs the drumming. I almost find there's an aquatic quality to the tape thanks to this and some of the synthwork, despite the fact it appears to be trying to evoke something closer to a dungeon or cavern.
An easy tool to envision a fantastical journey. I'm knee-deep in cave water and it's freezing - I escaped the storm on the surface but at what cost, to find myself lurking toward hyperthermia in a natural tomb? The ridged ceilings of the tunnels, as dry as my throat, return echoes that are not of my making. Best to push on and wrap my dark cloak tighter still.
Taste the cold air while listening. I swear you could get frostbite from holding an original copy of this.