A climax community is, apparently, a biological community of plants and animals which, through the process of ecological succession – the development of vegetation in an area over time – has reached a steady state. Darsombra’s latest album is fittingly titled, being a perfectly balanced and richly organic work that’s deep, textured and earthy.
The immense, sludgy guitar drones are kept in check and rather than dominating, provide layers of depth and texture amongst a surprisingly, pleasingly delicate arrangement, that shifts from almost choral to what you might call occult ambient via rolling pagan folk, evocative of green valleys and luscious woodlands of ancient times. An unadorned strum coupled with a distant, high-end vibrato slowly unfurls and tapers meanderingly before fading into the hazy sunset.
The brief acoustic strum of ‘Green’, with its pastoral folk feel, provides a contrast to the behemoth epics it divides.
‘Thunder Thighs’ begins as a slow, chiming post-rock tinged composition before a chugging rhythm guitar that bites like a wild dog, over which a soaring lead weaves a mediaeval motif high in the air. Gradually, but so certainly, the fuzz grows in density and volume, before subsequently morphing into a space-age prog piece, to which wordless vocals add to the building intensity of the hypnotic bubbling bass.
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There’s an untitled, uncredited bonus track, too, which takes the form of a thirty minute mid-level humming drone.
But Darsombra are no ordinary band. Musically, they’re effectively a solo project. However, the music’s only half the story. Brian Daniloski’s compositions share equal billing with Ann Everton’s visuals, which are created to be viewed simultaneously with the music, and as such, ‘Climax Community’ is a soundtrack album. While it works perfectly on its own, it really does feel more fulfilled and fulfilling to experience as a multimedia, multisensory work...
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