Aural Hypnox — Transcendental Radiations II

Transcendental Radiations II is the latest sonic transmission from the Finnish ritual dark ambient label/ collective Aural Hypnox. It comes in the form of a C45 cassette, which features two side-long foreboding & unease sonic rituals.

As we’ve come to expect with the label/collective the packaging is something special/darkly arty- the dark green-shelled tape features black and white labels on each side. This comes presented in an oversized black cardboard box- this features green and grey screen printing, which takes in both the release details and occult symbols. Also, inside the box we have a few inlays- there’s a fold-out mini-poster of a strange shrouded/ white sleeved arms-outstretched figure in front of woodland with a green stamp symbol on, an eight-page mini-booklet, two thick off-white artboard cards- screen printed on both sides, and a DL code slip. Sadly, it seems the first edition of this tape is now all sold out- but who knows it may be reissued down the line- to keep up to date with all things Aural Hypnox drop in here. 
 
So, the first side track is entitled “Permutation 221(0)01”, and this comes in at the 22.28 mark. It opens with a mixture of greyly waving ‘n’ warbling tones- through these, you can just make out what are possible distant vocal chants/ hums. As the track progresses these elements start to blur/ haze in a wonderful gloomy and subtle unbalancing manner. By the sixth minute, there seems to be this distant circling slightly serrated horn tone, but it’s way off in the distance. As we nudge into the seven-and-half-minute mark, this sinisterly purring 'n' sombrely circling low-end organ/ synth element appears. And on top of this, we find mid to higher pitch tone drifts- this all creates a most uneasy and haunting sound picture, which seems to lightly drift 'n' ebb like mist drifting through dusk encroaching forest.  And the remaindered of the track really pulls us deeper into the darkening forest as the mids/ high die back, and the lows hover on- but finally fade leaving just a faint billowing drone and grey crackle rustle, that sounds like something slowly stalking through dry undergrowth.
 
Over on the second side we have “Permutation 210(2)21” and this runs 22.25. It begins with a blend of foreboding bass hover, slowly grating ritual tone ebbs, and a distant spectral ambient glow. Again the feeling here is very unease/ hazed veil-like, but where the first side seemed of the dusk/ night- this is feels of the early mist morning- as if you've just come round, and are trying to piece together what went on the night before, and it’s strange half-seen rituals. By the eighth minute, the elements really start to drift and glide into each other in a most haunting manner with the bass tone taking a back seat- with this unbalancing pitch-shifting drone/ scraping travelling through the whole thing.  By the fourteenth minute the bass hover has returned, and it feels even more foreboding and eerier now. 
 
Aural Hypnox are nearing the twenty years mark into their haunting sonic craft journey, and you’d imagine that time maybe have lessened their potency for unease, creepy, and downright chilling sonics. But going by the evidence on Transcendental Radiations II, they very much deepened their craft- so it goes straight down into blacked earth. This may not be as instant as some of their work but give it time and these two tracks will surely entrance you with their hovering and hazy occult-bound malevolence.