William St Hugh - To Forge a Darker Path

 

Released: April 4

This latest album from Massachusetts based ambient artist William St. Hugh is a combination of mostly new material along with a couple of previously released pieces that have been remastered to be enjoyed once again. The to previously released pieces “Trinket” and “Shaking Hands With Shadows” show up early in the album and both have a certain intensity to them both. Compared to some of the other tracks here, they feel somehow heavier and more dramatic. I enjoy their inclunion here as I think the provide a more forthright sound compared to some of the more subtle pieces. 

Among these more, in my opinion, subtle pieces is the rather sparse “Concave.” It take this approach to its construction that leave a lot of open space. There’s moment where it feels as though the whole thing stops for just moment, especially nearer to the end. In the last minute or so of the track, the pads go from swelling into crescendos to this odd subdued sound that feels like a low roar, similar to something growling at you from the shadows. The track immediately following it, “To Forger a Darker Path,” extends this approach, even later adding in some vaguely vocal elements to add a slightly ethereal feeling. 

Much of To Forge a Darker Path follows closely the previous work from St. Hugh. But it certainly lives up to its name as it goes in a markedly darker direction in sound design and composition. It’s not quite horror movie material, but it ratchets up tension to a degree while emanating a bit of bleakness as well. Its motifs are quite effective at setting up the vibe of a Cormac McCarthy novel and having a sense dark and unsettling beauty.