Spaceseer is a prolific artist in the underground scene. Not only does he have a vast discography of various ambient subgenres which started all the way back in 2017, but he is also a dedicated worldbuilder. Every release is related to a science-fiction setting and story of his own design. In the case of Feral Moon, we venture into the complicated life on an alien world torn by a theological conflict between several sapient plantlike lifeforms, which culminates in a holy war, throwing the planet into a state of turmoil. This results in 76 minutes of music and narrations, which is massive in scale. The story encapsulated within Feral Moon is extensive. In fact, it may be one of the most detailed story I’ve come across in any Dungeon Synth release so far, if not the most. It is a work of great ambition, and it demands your attention, even when you initially decide to give it a casual listen. Coincidentally, Spaceseer will publish a novel relaying the story of Feral Moon shortly.

The album starts off with a combination of psychedelic ambience and drone, a slow 16-bit keyboard tune meant to build up tension a smidge of white noise static, and probing transmission signals. Already, there is a plethora of details to be found within the first minute of the album. Incorporating as many details as possible in a short amount of time to impress listeners is a potential trap for many artists, but it’s clear Spaceseer has thought this through. Every note, every transmission signal, every sound effect is meticulously chosen to serve a purpose both narratively and composition-wise. Never does it sound too much, even when it seems the rocking boat will tumble over. One of the reasons why it doesn’t is the excellent production, which true for the duration of the album.

Things really take off when we hear Spaceseer for the first time during Lost Pilgrims, redirecting our attention like a sudden bolt of crackling lightning. His voice is menacingly uncanny and slightly distorted, driving home the point that we are not dealing with humans here. The atmosphere gets tenser when pounding electric percussions initiate a trippy narration, lulling us into a trance-like state for pretty much the entirety of Feral Moon. I think it’s a brilliant choice.

I can’t go over every small detail of Feral Moon; it’s simply too much for a written review, but I will address the details which stayed with me the most. For starters, the single most defining contribution of the record would have to be the bass guitar. The thick, almost syrupy chords add a funky vibe to the compositions whilst enhancing the otherworldly atmosphere greatly. It’s vitally interwoven into the pacing of the narrations, as well as musically speaking. I understand this may sound like a redundant point, because a bass is the basis for a typical song structure, though I can’t say Spaceseer (or Dungeon Synth in general) uses  something you would expect in a typical song structure, but Dungeon Synth was never known for its typical song structure, so I think it’s an addition worth mentioning.

The narrations are high quality. The star of the cast for me would have to be Raven Grabowski Timm who plays the central role of Nerva, although everyone who has borrowed his or her voice to this project can take a bow. Never do the lines sound tacky or stilted, which is an achievement in and of itself. I do believe these lines were taken from his soon-to-be-published novel. What’s more, they flow naturally alongside the music. A perfect example of this combination is the epic Beetleshield. The short monologue of the titular character is cleverly tied to the rhythms and swerving melodies of the music, and the way it is pronounced makes me want to root for her (no pun intended 😉). Tasks of Lord Sarmyx bears the most impressive bass chords, which are tightly worked around choir effects and echoing percussions. My favorite track is Battle of the Forked River, which has a delightfully dark electro, almost industrial sound to it which wouldn’t be out of place in the darkest corners of the rave subculture. We get a return of sorts during The Aphid Herder, although the beat sounds way more oppressive and urgent this time. There’s danger involved here, which is further increased by the terrific voice acting of the Aphid Herder. Successor Interlude of Healing is a shorter piece of distorted ambient and drone music which reminds me of the best works of Putrid Marsh. Reishi Armory has chiming church bells which go well with the Dungeon Synth-inspired keyboard tunes and but slow, but thumping bass drums. Both Cyabin Cathedral and Monastery have clever organ arrangements, although the organs have a far more prominent role in the latter when compared to the first. There is one moment during Cyabin Cathedral when it seems as if the intricate bass chords, musical arrangements, and narrations are getting the better of Spaceseer, but he manages to keep everything on track (though not by much, which might be a deliberate choice on his part).

One point of criticism I might have is the finale of the record, which is a reprisal of the first song in longer form. This is not a bad thing (actually, I quite like it, given my earlier compliments), but I believe it would have been more effective if the album had started with Lost Pilgrims and the shorter version be cut entirely in favor of just having the longer version at the end. I think it’s a creative decision on his part which is in some way related to the chronological order of the story, but I’m not sure.

I won’t lie; 76 minutes is a long ride, and not everyone will have the time or patience to notice all the fine details. I think that’s fair; listening to this album is a commitment of sorts and takes a bit of effort if you want to take it all in. That said, I would highly recommend Feral Moon to anyone who likes a significant amount of funk in his music, alien atmospheres, and a vast science fiction story with great worldbuilding as a backdrop.  The amount of care and details is staggering, so much so that I truly regard Feral Moon as an audiobook. Incidentally, I wish Spaceseer the best of luck with the publishing of the eponymous novel. I know I will be on the lookout.

Fenix Silvermoon approves, and declares: