[TR24][OF] Flowers for Bodysnatchers - Aokigahara - 2015 [Cryo Chamber] (Dark Ambient, Drone, Atmospheric, Field Recordings, Soundscapes)

With its lovely piano themes, this album seems to be much less dark than the average Cryo Chamber release. But sounds are deceiving, because there is bottomless deep darkness underneath:
Aokigahara (青木ヶ原) is the name of a 35-square-kilometre forest at the northwest base of Mount Fuji in Japan. It is a notoriously common suicide site, also referred to as the Suicide Forest, and has an historical association with demons in Japanese mythology.
Knowing about this background, Duncan (Flowers for Bodysnatchers) Ritchie‘s album of atmospheric textural layers gets a different meaning. Now, the piano themes only enhance the loneliness instead of soothing it.
(Of course titles like A Rope To End It All also help create the right expectations).
“Aokigahara forest is dense, shutting out all but the natural sounds of the forest itself. Venture into it to deep may mean you’ll find yourself ‘past the edge unable to return.”

---

Duncan Ritchie explores the long journey to Aokigahara through soundscapes ripe with lonely pianos on textural backdrops. Duncan spent countless hours field recording on the voyage between Tokyo to Aokigahara which creates the perfect atmospheric companion to the intricate instrumental approach. This is a beautiful dark ambient soundtrack culminating in the final choice between life and death.
credits
released November 3, 2015
Written, Produced, Mastered - Duncan Ritchie
Artwork - Simon Heath