Here are the dark ambient albums that we at This is Darkness have been listening to this month – some are new releases, but a few are older gems we’ve just (re)discovered.
Please check these out by clicking on the Bandcamp link next to each review, and please consider supporting the featured artists.
Enjoy!
If you have a Bandcamp release you’d like to be considered for inclusion as one of our picks of the month , please email [email protected]. Bandcamp download codes for albums to be reviewed are always very welcome, but are not essential.
Bleak Haven – Oblivion
Dark Odyssey Records continue to release dark ambient music of the highest quality, and Oblivion by Bleak Haven is no exception. Right from the off, there is an impending sense of dread oozing our of this album, as the dark, cinematic soundscapes unfold in a pulsing, machine like echo. The music here is delightfully eerie and otherworldly – the perfect sci-fi horror soundtrack you didn’t know you needed. Absolutely stunning!
Lham – Tertium Quid
New from the Italian Silentes label is this wonderful album of intriguing experimental electro ambient from Lham. Expertly blending elements of classical music, field recordings, glitches, gentle synth work, and dark ambient / drone soundscapes, the end result is a mesmerising audio journey that is as refreshing and original as it is beautiful. Highly recommend for those looking for something uplifting, life affirming, and inventive. Gorgeous!
Sam – Saint Noise
I’m a big fan of Sam, the one man project by Marcin Kaczmarek, who describes his music as “strange blues”. His latest album, Saint Noise, combines electric guitar, drone, and sound manipulation, to produce a remarkable album that is bluesy, chilled out and laid back, and yet also provides a captivating and gripping listen. Highly recommended for those looking for something different and heartfelt. Amazing!
The Nine Lands of Oblivion – Black Chamber Music
Now this is very cool – an album of dark ambient / dungeon synth from Portugal, with an impressively bleak and doom-ridden tone running through the whole thing from start to finish. The music here is haunting, eerie, and the description of “A medieval fever dream through haunted chambers and old crypt” sums this up perfectly. Wonderful!
Lambwool – Ashes
New from French sound sculptor Lambwool is this incredible album of uncompromising dark ambient, created in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Combining slowly unfolding dark ambient soundscapes, with authentic field recordings taken from news reports and journalistic coverage of the conflict in Ukraine, the end result is quite simply breath-taking. This is far from an easy listen, but that’s the point. Highly recommended. Powerful stuff.
Substak – Σφαῖρα
Regular readers will know I’m a big fan of Substak (Greek musician Kostas Staikos), and I’m always thrilled when he releases a new album. Σφαῖρα begins with a light ambient feel to it, but as the album unfolds the soundscapes become darker and more drone like – taking the listener on a rewarding audio journey in the process. This is one of those albums that is perfect for listening to on headphones as you lie-back in a darkened room. Fantastic!
Gensai Hasegawa, KPC a.k.a. kassn – Experimental Session, Tokyo, Japan, Sep 2025
Inner Demons Records continues to be one of my favourite labels, and with releases like this it is easy to see why. This is the recording of an experimental music session in Tokyo earlier this year, with lots of interesting and innovative things going on – drones, glitches, electronica, and field recordings are blended together and play over each other, resulting in a unique multi-layered sound experience that offers something different each and every time you listen to it. Superb!
Malamati – Youm-e-Malamat
Wow. Now this is a compelling album of dark ambient music – an “auditory manifestation” of the frustration with the hypocrisy and humanitarian crises caused by modern war and the failure of the western world to act. The music does an incredible job of reflecting those feelings, and the resulting listen is a dark and disturbing one – and that makes this album all the more powerful for it. Stunning.
Sowl – Ensemble Vide
With their latest release, Sowl (Olivier Verleye on guitar, bulbul tarang, and Valentin Brügger on soma pipe, Enner, micro Korg, DeepMind6, vocals) has created an album of incredibly beautiful melancholic music. Sounds develop, merge together, echo, and dissolve – exploring the fragility of human connection. This is wonderfully done, and I’ve had this on repeat play since I first heard it. Highly recommended for those looking for something that is perfect for a spot of introspective review. Spectacular!
God Ton – Alla Mina Djur
The latest release from Swedish musician Got Ton is this gorgeous album of mediative rhythmic ambient, combining ambient soundscapes with elements of downtempo electronica. The resulting album is relaxing and soothing, but never too laid back or slow moving. This is one of those albums that is perfect for listening to on lazy Sunday afternoon, as you unwind, self-reflect, and take some time out for yourself. Beautiful!
Ambiotik – Ocean of Space
Ocean of Space by Ambiotik is a gorgeously chilled album of space ambient soundscapes, perfect for relaxing to and taking some time out from the every day hustle and bustle. This is beautifully done, with gentle soaring synth work and slow evolving drones, working together to create a harmonious panorama of soothing ambient soundscapes. Simply marvellous.
Bill Brennan and Andy McNeill – Dreaming In Gamelan
New from Bill Brennan and Andy McNeill is Dreaming In Gamelan, an album with its roots firmly planted in West Javanese traditions, that also embraces elements of ambient jazz and more experimental musical styles. The end result is an album of jaw-droppingly stunning music that stays with you long after the album has finished playing. This is captivating stuff, and a must have for fans of experimental ambient music. Glorious!
Nerthus – Love letters via Echelon
Eighth Tower Records continue to release amazing album after amazing album, and Love letters via Echelon by Nerthus is no exception. Exploring the shadowy tension between intimacy and control in the age of global surveillance, the music here is oppressive and claustrophobic, reflecting the psychological weight of being watched, tracked, and decoded. This is an album of dark ambient / post-industrial music at its finest and a must have for fans of dark, haunting music with an electronic and industrial edge. Awesome!
Altum – Kingdom of Radiant Darkness
The Spanish Ominous Sounds label has released some stunning albums in the last couple of years, and Kingdom of Radiant Darkness by Altum is a worthy addition to their roster. The music here is dark ambient / ritual ambient, with a melodic edge and wonderful evolving soundscapes. In parts light and airy, and in others dark and haunting, this is an album that rewards multiple listens. Definitely one to check out if you are a fan of atmospheric dark ambient. Stunning!
