Úden/Nagrindr – Split CD
Departed Souls Productions

Úden and Nagrindr seem a pretty natural match on this split. There’s not a whole lot of noticeable difference between the artists soundwise. The Úden tracks start the album. Titled Wandering and Wandering II, these monikers fit the tracks very well. Both have a mysterious, ethereal feel that is at the same time evocative and sensual. The feel here is one of something impending combined deftly with a touch of wonder. The first track does this the best while the second one tends to meander. Unfortunately, that impending feel doesn’t really lead to much of anything. Nagrindr’s half of the split is similar to Úden’s ambient stylings but with a more prehistoric, ancient feel to the sound. Nagrindr’s sound communicates something that seems ancestral, but overall there’s not much going on here.

While certain sections of this split promise engrossing atmosphere, overall, this is dark ambient that is, unfortunately, mediocre at best. There’s just not enough variation here. It seems like both artists are going for the simple approach, and while it works at times, it really falls short at others. Fans of mysterious dark ambient could look elsewhere for something more engaging.

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