Troum – EmphasYs (Digital/CD Album – Cyclic Law)
To find the first work by the German duo Troum, one has to go back nearly 30 years. Since then, they have built an impressive discography, collaborating with a wide range of labels. With this new album, they open the doors of Cyclic Law and return with a remarkable opus.
“EmphasYs” was several years in the making, largely due to the conceptual approach centered on the use of instruments. Each track highlights a specific instrument—electric guitar, cello, accordion, didgeridoo, acoustic guitar, zither, and saxophone—while the sounds are further processed and manipulated. The result is a dark yet predominantly serene sonic experience, situated somewhere between Troum’s signature Drone-Ambient style and a more Cinematic and Experimental approach. At times, the listener is drawn into an abyssal soundscape, only to be carried into icy textures supported by deep, resonant tones that evoke a nightmarish atmosphere. A wide range of tonalities and effects comes into play, underlining the duo’s craftsmanship and attention to detail.
The concept may sound challenging, but the outcome fully lives up to the expectations one might have of Troum. (Rating:8).
Listen to “Oxblood Red”:
https://cycliclaw.bandcamp.com/track/oxblood-red
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