Classic Ambient: Caustic_Gates - Reality-based Forms (2025)

73 / 100

Reality-based Forms feels like caustic_gates stepping deeper into a carefully curated aesthetic.

I didn’t expect to return to November 7 again, this time to encounter caustic_gates’ new album, Reality-based Forms. To me, there are still traces of “Gates Kept,” but refined through inspiration from 80s and 90s Japanese environmental music—kankyō ongaku. So the choice of a palm-leaf cover that evokes a vaporwave-like summer atmosphere makes perfect sense to reinforce the nostalgic impression.

The synth flows presented here clearly differ from modern ambient—more like air intertwined with the bustle of the city back then. Calling it heavy wouldn’t be entirely accurate; calling it dark also doesn’t fit. The rising–falling waves sound faint, slow, and gentle, with added chime-like sounds, such as in “Aquarium,” which then shifts into something more melancholic in “Delay Evaporation.” A new sheet of fog begins with “Summer in the Sprawl” through thicker synth textures, which grow even denser in “Fog Transplant,” then slowly fade away and close with a shimmer of light created by delicate chimes, entering the spirit like a calm breath in the final track, “Archipelagic.”

So, I think caustic_gates presents a more specific blend without abandoning what was already established before. With kankyō ongaku as the keyword, Reality-based Forms should appeal to fans of classic Japanese ambient and even vaporwave. Personally, only two tracks stood out to me: “Delay Evaporation” and “Archipelagic.”

Comments

Breakcore: Subheroine - End. (2025)

77 / 100 End. is Subheroine ’s most immersive and emotionally textured work yet ... Is being a week late enough to make a new release feel cold and stale? Maybe it’s the effect of our fast-paced modern world and the FOMO trend. Who knows. Whatever. Alright then, let’s welcome a new breakcore/drum & bass album (though it runs under 30 minutes) from Subheroine : End. ! End. by SUBHEROINE Released just on November 7 via Japan’s veteran breakcore label, Lost Frog Productions , End . delivers a noticeably more atmospheric vibe this time. So, tagging it as atmospheric drum & bass makes perfect sense, while the “depressive” tag seems to apply only to the cover art. But is that really the case? As always, there are surprises when reviewing music—those unexpected moments that make certain tracks sound more intriguing than expected. The most prominent depressive elements appear in the sampled voice of an anime girl sounding shocked or weakened in...

Soundtrack: Dragica Kahlina - Ava Chapter 1 OST (2022)

78 / 100 A compelling dark ambient soundtrack , best enjoyed by fans of atmospheric and cosmic soundscapes rather than traditional game OST seekers. Ava is a mobile puzzle game inspired by tarot cards , developed by Stardust LLC . It was released in four chapters, rolled out periodically between February 2020 and the first quarter of 2021. While there’s a claim that the game won an award, it was never explained exactly where or what it won. For the soundtrack of Chapter 1, Stardust LLC collaborated with local, Zurich-based artist Dragica Kahlina . Ava Chapter 1 OST by Dragica Kahlina Although the game came out in 2020, Kahlina only uploaded the OST two years later on Bandcamp , using cover art from Level 11: The Crown that features Ava herself. The atmosphere of darkness and cosmic vastness is strongly felt throughout the eleven tracks, built primarily on dark ambient foundations and layered with various sounds: echoing stick-like noises...

Electronica/IDM: 4T Thieves - Humanoid (2018)

70 / 100 Humanoid is a compact and tastefully crafted slice of IDM-leaning electronica that blends futuristic elements without overwhelming the listener. I opened my December with an electronica release by 4T Thieves , an EP titled Humanoid , which came out back in February 2018. A brief profile and the project’s track record can be found on RYM or Last.fm , and it’s clear that this act has been active since the 90s, although only arriving on Bandcamp around 2018. Humanoid by 4T Thieves As the name suggests, Humanoid presents a modern environment tinged with a futuristic sci-fi atmosphere, supported by drum work leaning toward IDM and prominent synth/bass that paints the image of a future city gate on “ Elemental .” This is followed by “ Codex ,” which is given a special dose of classic IDM-style glitch effects , and the rest continues into “ The Looking Glass ,” which gives off a nighttime-shadow feel through its slightly dark synth melodies. “Band...

Search This Blog