First Human Ferro — Heterodox
Starting with “Offret” immediately you are thrust into a cavernous and empty void of an album that just plays on the outer reaches of your synapses for pleasure. It’s not dull throbbing dark ambience, more a long and orchestral take on the genre, as each minute minute passes through the piece you are left with a long lingering ache.
The beauty here is the simplicity, yet there is such a depth. I’m reminded, vaguely, of Rains D’etre’s early work, but as “Mother Death” begins one can feel there is metamorphosis here: where the outline and skeletal frame of are the same yet are being dressed differently. The slow, subtle swirls of ambience are just about audibly mixed with and offset by tiny movements.
As is the want with dark ambient artists, a darkened room is
almost de rigueur: the paralysis of senses, barring the ear, means you are left with such a heightened sense of hearing that each little sound takes on a cliff-like feature. This is no better exemplified than with “Transkommunikation” where half-heard spoken words flutter through the dust covered static-field of drones and textures.
Some dark ambient artists are working a seam already well mined. First Human Ferro aren’t actually moving too far from this comfort zone, but when they do the output is utterly perfect. This is an album once played will then be repeated ad infinitum. Take the album as whole experience: to dissect it would be to tear it apart.
Ladies and Gentlemen with Heterodox we are literally floating in space. Hopefully we will never land.