PALINDRONES - Sùil Nan Diathan
Written by Vero Kitsuné
One of my favorite things to see is when artists go above and beyond expectations, having the bravery to go outside norms and push the envelope to take their art to new territories. There’s beautiful magic in effort and exploring a new vision that only a few artists truly understand. UK-based Palindrones definitely belong to that small group of artists. I have been following them for quite some time, and the one thing that sets them apart is not only their prolific touring schedule, but their dreamy brand of industrial synthpop that often touches on themes of mythology accompanied by stunning visuals they create themselves. I’m a fan of thoroughly DIY projects - actually much more so than ones that had an actual budget. And combined with their stellar soundscape, mystical themes, with thoughtfully perceptive, poetic lyricism, there is a wonderful, doe-eyed sorcery in the character of their music and art.
Inspired by classic sci-fi horror scores, Palindrone’s Samhain offering and latest single “Sùil Nan Diathan” is an experimental and atmospheric synth soundtrack that follows the tale of two travelers' journey through the vastly liminal, apocalyptic tundra under the watchful eye of the ancient Eldritch Gods. The accompanying theatrical video plays like a retro-nostalgic storybook treated with effervescent, lo-fi special effects reminiscent of ‘80s movies like Neverending Story or Legend. The video is narrated in dramatic prose written in old English, followed by images of the two travelers and their pet wolf grappling with the freeze of the harsh, cold winter under the glittering dance of flickering Auroras, with the gates of a lost kingdom in sight. Then the music breaks into dramatic, massive modern drum and bass beats and giant washes of haunting wails as they approach their destination - a star gate portal to a different dimension - before ending the journey with a mysterious final message of “The two become the many become the one.”
Palindrone’s creativity and the treatment of their vision carry a certain charm and wonder that are distinctively theirs. Under the blankets of edgy soundscapes, enchanting atmospheric textures and drives of techno beats, there is a very earnest and sincere heart beating throughout their work that is truly refreshing and a delight to experience.
Check out the video and for more Palindrones, visit https://www.palindrones.co.uk
