Year: 2025
Label: Zoharum
Last time we encountered Swedish Jarl, we talked about Receptor Radiation (read review). This time around, we stick to the same level of biology, and talk about synapses with Synapse Variation Report. The thematic similarity is no mere coincidence: according to label Zoharum’s promo sheet, these two albums combined with the earlier release Neurotransmitters Sphere Music form a trilogy dealing with similar themes through a similar musical form.
And true, enough, comparing to last year’s Receptor Radiation, the parallels extend from themes to music. So it’s another fare of analog synthesizer driven ambient we have on hand here.
Much of how I described Radiation Reception can be pretty much copied ad verbatim here. In other words, slowly evolving and fluctuating layers of harmonious analog synthesize are the centerpiece of music here. The soundscapes are predominantly bright, with sparse use of the lower tones on the spectrum and precious little “murk” of subterranean layers of bass synth. And, just like the preceding album, Synapse Variation Report appears simplistic and understated at first, but upon closer examination there are layers and depths under the surface.
In a way, the album sounds like its name. Or at least how I imagine soundtrack to a visualization of synapses should sound like. Imagine a luminescent, neon coloured forest or sea of tranquilly floating, undulating synapse bulbs. On the surface, it all seems peaceful and serene. But as one zooms in and focuses, one sees constant rapid activity and action of synapses firing off. There’s a constant flicker of electric zaps between neurons (and yeah, I know that neuron-to-neuron activity is chemical – but it’s often visualized as if it were electric) as information travels across the neurological sea.
That’s how Synapse Variation Report sounds to me. A surface of harmonious tranquility covering profound layers of constant activity and tension.
The stylistic differences between Synapse Variation Report and Radiator Reception might be a case of looking for devils in the details. Synapse Variation Report comes across as a bit more “active”, a bit more “happening”, with the subsurface layers being a bit more pronounced. But on the whole, these two albums are obviously cut from a very similar cloth.
Which is not a bad thing, considering the audial similarities are mirrored by the conceptual similarities. Keeping this in mind, these are albums that complement each other, offering somewhat altering takes on a similar musical concept and approach.
Qualitywise, these two albums are equals. In my review of Receptor Radiation, I said it takes a “dedicated fan of understated abstraction” to get the most out of it, but that “for its target audience, it can be a very rewarding listen.” I think the same applies here. Synapse Variation Report isn’t the most obtuse kind of ambient around, but due to the, eh, ambient nature of the music, it’s not for everyone. So know what you’re getting yourself into beforehand.
Only Death Is Real 