On March 28th, just a few short days away, the mysterious project known as Schatten Muse will be fully unveiled to the world through their debut album, Vergänglichkeit. The German-Greek duo of Shelmerdine and Sylvia Fürst have crafted a truly dark form of gothic electronic that is unlike anything I have absorbed in some time, if ever. That said, don’t take our word for it. The entire album is available for streaming in advance of the release date immediately after the jump.
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Equally jarring and beautiful, the noticeably poetic delivery of these nine tracks (seven original, with covers of Goethes Erben’s “Das Schwarze Wesen” and Sopor Aeternus’ “Shadowsphere”) almost seems to make time stand still. This take on “New German Death Art” certainly explores a wide range of patterns and tempos, but at the same time the minutes blend together effortlessly. When exploring Vergänglichkeit, the more the scale is broadened, the more cohesive the picture becomes. Factor in the primarily German lyrics, and the themes of desperation and isolation really resonate, allowing this to become a deeply introspective piece.
All in all, Schatten Muse finds a blurred boundary between dark wave, gothic electronic, and poetry, and they explore it without hesitation or fear. This really shouldn’t come as any surprise, as both Shelmerdine (Schatten) and Sylvia Fürst (Muse) have long been involved in the dark and gothic music scenes. And it doesn’t take long to realize their combined experience in Vergänglichkeit.
So to end with the beginning, Vergänglichkeit is officially out on March 28th through The Circle Music, including CD and vinyl formats which are available here. For more information and to stay up-to-date on Shatten Muse, be sure to link up with their socials.
Nine Circles 