Anytime a record comes out on the Flenser, the Bay Area label that specializes in dark, avant-garde underground music, that record is worth hearing. The forthcoming Ash Souvenir is coming out on the Flenser, and it’s from two Flenser artists, so you already know it’s going to be something. Ragana, the great Pacific Northwest queer black metal duo, recorded Ash Souvenir with Drowse, a Portland artist who makes music that floats between ambient drone and indie rock. It’s an inspired pairing, and Ash Souvenir is a powerful piece of work.
Ash Souvenir drops in just a few days. We’ve already heard “In Eternal Woods Pts. 2 & 3” and the title track, and now they’ve shared another song, “After Image,” which basically means that at least half of the album has come out before the album itself. Whereas the last two singles basically worked as Ragana tracks, “After Image” is way more Drowse-forward. It starts out soft and chiming and then builds into something much more harrowing over its six minutes. I think Drowse makes some cool music on his own, but he sounds a lot cooler with Ragana around. Listen below.
Ash Souvenir is out 11/14 on the Flenser.
