Dungeon Synth/Experimental: Chiodata

Dungeon Synth/Experimental: Chiodata - Lucestas (2021)

74 / 100

The blend of psychedelic and modern dungeon synth feels both surprising and subtly nostalgic.

Alright, finally meeting Chiodata from Chile. The person behind this project is Claudio Cisterna, who has been active since 1999 and joined the label Ojo de Apolo under the name Flipper, while also founding the netlabel Impar. Despite his long activity, only four albums across four different labels are visible on Bandcamp. This time, the release I am reviewing is Lucestas.

Lucestas was released through Umé Records on December 18, 2021, featuring seven tracks that are more colorful and psychedelic in nature than what Bleu System offers. This may be closely related to the label’s description about humans creating all things unreal within virtual worlds or imagination.

From what I gather, Chiodata combines synths, bass, and other instruments to create abstract, imaginative bursts on “Delicsites” and “Fuscias” as the two opening tracks. Then “Lucestas” adds an ambient touch that enriches the fantasy texture, continuing into dungeon-synth nuances in the following tracks, reaching its culmination in the cold, subterranean airflow of the strongest and somewhat quietest piece, “Dominoes,” though there is a synth surprise at the very end.

Well, this turns out to be rather surprising, as I almost thought Chiodata would present a style least similar to Darren McClure’s or something dominantly synthetic, yet it actually sounds somewhat retrospective. This one is indeed unexpected and cannot be judged by its cover. In short, if you enjoy modern dungeon synth, I think Lucestas is quite recommended. Personally, I might choose “Dominoes,” although I am still slightly hesitant to include it in my favorite playlist.

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