While Pound is responsible for all the actual music (performed on analog and digital synthesizers, samplers, electric guitar, didgeridoo, shamanic voice and percussion), he is aided by ambient pioneer Steve Roach who contributed sonic enhancements, arrangement and mastering.
Lush atmospherics evoke a nocturnal mood with dire tonalities and gritty embellishments. The textural flow is dark, more portentous than ominous, instilling a serenity that is laced with a wary sense of external awareness. Swimming in this oily mix are haunting vocal effects, didgeridoo moans, and rattlings of paranormal character, all of which enhance the overall arcane nature of the music.
Traces of an abrasive edginess lurk within the sounds utilized on this album. Pound is to be applauded for his crafty application of these harsh sounds to achieve a mood that remains ethereal, albeit eerie.
While generally grating and disturbing, the electronics are crisp and fluid, never muddy or guttural. That their effect is unsettling owes more to the manner in which they are layered with airy textures that carry the resonance of a wintry pasture. In one piece, heavy keyboard sustains achieve a dramatic presence, while another track allows similar keyboards to express themselves more optimistically in lilting chords.
Percussion plays a very minor role here, generally hiding in the mix or processed to the point where the rhythms no longer exhibit any beats.
These harmonic compositions frequently display hints of melodic substance. This is one of the major appeals of his music, his tendency to utilize fleeting glimpses of melody hiding amid the churning pool of atmospheric consistency. This release is decidedly darker than his usual fare, though.
