Fursaxa – Mycorrhizae Realm
1. Lunaria Exits the Blue Lodge
2. Poplar Moon
3. Celosia
4. Well of Tuhala
5. Sunhead Bowed
6. Charlote
7. Ode to Goliards
Like the meaning of the word Fursaxa, its alter ego Tara Burke is equally elusive and mysterious. Like some medieval troubadour she produces eerie traditional folk music, full of trembling guitar arpeggios, weeping string drones and tinkling, barely audible spidery noises which lurk on the edge of your consciousness, giving you a feeling of dull dread whilst listening.
This music isn’t heavy, or aggressive, but it’s sure as hell fucking scary.
That isn’t to detract from this unpronounceable album though. If it’s scary then it must be powerful; it must raise emotions which are generally latent in our psyche. And that it does. When you listen to ‘Mycorrhizae Realm’ the room/bus/train/office twists into a dark forest; twigs and leaves close in on you, shadows creep past your periphery vision like the beginnings of a ‘shroom trip. No matter where you are your mind descends into a murmuring gloam, allowing the ghostly backing vocals to bore deep into your subconscious and thoroughly weird you out. Particularly disturbing is the six-minute ‘Well of Tuhala’ which will have you involuntarily looking over your shoulder after your constitution has been weakened by the first three tracks. Yes, this needs to be listened to as a whole to get the full clout of its subtle witch-queen curse, and that is to be appreciated because not many people make ‘albums’ anymore, let alone this scary.
Review by Liam McLaughlin
‘Mycorrhizae Realm’ will be released on 8th March on ATP Recordings.
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