Dark Noontide
Six Organs of Admittance · 2002
41 min · 8 tracks
Ethereal guitar work intertwines with meditative vocals, creating a haunting atmosphere that evokes both tranquility and unease.
Top tracks — play these first
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Dark Noontide — The title track encapsulates the album's essence with its intricate guitar layering and contemplative lyrics, serving as a focal point for the overall theme of introspection.
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Khidr and the Fountain — This track showcases an expansive sonic landscape, blending lush instrumentation with a narrative that invites listeners into a mystical journey.
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Spirits Abandoned — Opening the album, this track sets a tone of haunting beauty that persists throughout, featuring delicate melodies paired with evocative imagery.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album's blend of ethereal guitar and meditative vocals creates a unique sound within the psych-folk genre.
What we noticed
- The album features extended tracks with minimalistic arrangements, allowing the ethereal guitar work to breathe and evolve over time.
- Vocals are often layered and harmonized, creating a meditative quality that complements the instrumental passages.
- Several tracks incorporate shifts in dynamics, moving from quiet introspection to more intense climaxes, which adds to the haunting atmosphere.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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6/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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8/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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7/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- meditative soundscapes for introspection
- expansive tracks inviting deep thought
- haunting vocals for reflective moments
- gentle pacing for afternoon calm
Maybe skip if you
- seeking high-energy engagement
- prefer quick, catchy tunes
Where this album fits
- Career context
- When 'Dark Noontide' was released in January 2002, it marked the fifth studio album for Six Organs of Admittance, showcasing Ben Chasny's evolving sound after his critically acclaimed 'The Manifestation.' At this point in his career, Chasny was establishing himself as a significant figure in the experimental music scene, blending elements of folk and avant-garde.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Ben Chasny· EARTH· Grouper
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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On Returning Home
A poignant shift occurs when the narrative voice acknowledges a sense of belonging while simultaneously grappling with feelings of displacement.
This duality creates tension within the song, emphasizing the complexities of returning to familiar places while feeling alienated.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Spirits Abandoned 6:21
- 2 Regeneration 5:32
- 3 On Returning Home 5:46
- 4 Dark Noontide 6:55
- 5 This Hand 4:45
- 6 Awaken 1:43
- 7 Khidr and the Fountain 7:27
- 8 A Thousand Birds 3:24
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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