Skurken :: Dagur (Touched Music)

Share this ::

Dagur delivers​ ​tonnes of warmth, melodies and evocative percussion that when working on​ ​concert take the listener to​ ​place​s​ less known.

Dagur lends itself well to different environments

Hot off the presses comes the latest full album from Skurken.​ Dagur caught my ear right from the off. There is a grounded and​ ​mature richness to this release.​ ​This arrives not long after the Val album from the Mystic & Quantum​ ​label Dreamwalker Series.​ ​The release seems to be a day in the life of.​ Opening with sunrise and​ ​ending with sunset​, the track-listing takes us through a full day, with different sonic​ ​adventures and themes.

After the lush opening “Sunrise​,​” “Stepping Stones” feels like a jaunty​ ​walk through a forest, when crossing a stream,​ ​we use those stepping stones to get to another side. Rich​ ​arrangements​ ​keep us hopping and stepping along at a nice pace.​ ​”Birds and Trees” brings us to another place in the forest where our​ ​imagination is given the soundtrack to wander and move with pace at times.​ ​Some nice nature sounds add to the abundant textural synths and​ ​rhythmics, with melodies that are uplifting but balanced with pinches of melancholy.​ ​Those dips just make the ups soar that little bit more.

“Oryctolagus Cuniculus” brings the bunnies. Not being a nature expert​ ​but a dab hand with internet search engines allows me to share this.​ ​In keeping with the nature theme here, this track has more of the expanding natural world being depicted by electronic synths.​ ​The playfulness of rabbits mixed with their curious yet cautious natures​ ​comes across here nicely, I can see the evening rabbits hopping around the big meadow and taking in the lowering sun on a fine​ ​summer evening. Every so often little pauses mimicking their behavior.

This release has a great warmth and a strong presence. It is quickly​ ​becoming one of my quick favorites for 2022—​fitting right into the kind of music I’m very drawn to in recent years.​ ​Dreamy synth work with intelligent beat work,​ ​not overly challenging but not lacking in sophistication or elegance.

“Agustus Spiritus” and t​h​en even more so “Noon” reminds me greatly of Sonic Area​’s​ release from a few years ago, Eyes In The Sky (Ant-Zen)​.​ ​This was fantastic release from 2016, and I got to see a live​ performance by Sonic Area around the release date.​ ​Hearing it really captured my attention then, and I regularly revisit​ ​it, and I can see myself going back for more & more listens with Dakur​ ​just as much.​ ​Whilst being​ ​different artists coming from related yet different label​ ​spaces I would love to hear what these two would come up with as a collaboration.​ ​Can someone make this happen?

“Noon” definitely marks that interval moment. The journey is not over​ ​but this is the moment to take a few breaths.​ ​Breathe in deeply through the mouth, then slowly out through the nose,​ ​and hold—then breathe again.​ ​Feel those cascading waves of synth wash over you and hydrate you before​ ​it is time to pic​k​ up the pace again.​ ​”Hailstorm” puts us back on the road. This time there are snare like​ ​drums sounds crashing about that help evoke the hail falling.​ ​The ethereal lushness doesn’t end here, and we move into the​ ​”Heartbeat​,​” which aptly has a 4/4 sunken rhythm at the start before we​ ​get closer and feel its grip as it hugs us and then every beat comes​ ​into it own full and warm. The melodies here are well crafted,​ ​with synth layers and little flourishes making a complete and rich​ ​palette. A ​s​mörgåsbord of sounds.

I have had this album for a number of weeks and it’s been the​ ​soundtrack to many car journeys, afternoons of work and evenings relaxing.​ ​Don’t get me wrong, I’m in no way implying this is background fodder, rather it lends itself well to different environments. It is good​ ​dreamy alone listening, but also makes for great music when you have​ ​company.

With “Twilight” we know that there must be an end coming, and checking​ ​the listing we see it is the third to final track.​ ​The final legs of our journey are upon us, and it is time to finish the​ ​last pushes before we settle to contemplate where we came from.​ ​Strange sounds echo across the soundscape, testing speakers for​ ​frequency responses, and stereo fields to be maximized.

So going back to the search engines with “Antonius ​D​ivisus” the first​ ​thing that comes up is Flemish renaissance composer from the 15th-16th​ ​century.​ ​I wonder if this is what we are meant to infer, or should I have​ ​actually studied Latin in school? What I can say is that this​ ​arrangement sounds​ ​probably nothing like the sounds that a Flemish renaissance composer was​ ​able to produce, but maybe the compositions are comparable.​ ​”Antonius ​D​ivisus”​ ​as a track feels more like the summation of overall​ ​trave​ls​ through the day, with even some nice 4/4 floating ending to the​ ​track.

Skurken has given us something special ::

“Sunset” takes us full circle. The time for healing, rest and​ ​contemplation. Skurken has taken us with him and given us something special.​ ​It feels like something that was shared between friends, a grand day​ ​out,​ ​memories without selfies. A feeling of togetherness, even if we are​ ​listening alone.​ ​If you hadn’t the volume up enough already you’ll be reaching out to​ ​give this last track that little bit of extra welly.

Again the arrangement style whilst being far from Sonic Area does make​ ​me remember that album and how it also made me feel.​ ​Skurken goes far more uplifting and with some strings that do almost​ ​feel like an electronica renaissance. Maybe that is the Antonius divisus​reference.​ ​Is 2022 the year of the electronica renaissance?

So my summation goes like this—although none of the tracks go​ ​longer than 5:30, like well crafted liqueurs, they have every bit of​ ​flavor and essence needed.​ ​I do like longer tracks that make you wait for it, but I do also like​ ​more concise compositions that get to the point effectively and​ ​succinctly. This album delivers​ ​tonnes of warmth, melodies and evocative percussion that when working on​ ​concert take the listener to​ ​place​s​ less known.

I’m looking forward to getting this on the headphones and heading off​ ​into the hills and forests, with a well timed river crossing, and maybe​ ​even some fresh sea air.​ ​I highly recommend all fans of Touched Music to buy this release fast,​ ​as this will sell like the proverbial hot cakes. It’s a big smiling​ ​thumbs up from me.​ ​Another fine Touched Music release, with 2022 being another​ ​brilliant year for the label, and electronica music, if that is a name​ ​you are comfortable with.​

Dagur is available on Touched Music. [Bandcamp]

Share this ::