Album: Labyrinth
Location: Los Angeles, USA
Genres: Dungeon Synth, Dark Ambient, Hauntology
Year Released: 2019-06-10
Format(s) Released: Bandcamp
Explanation:
Oh boy. I am very excited to be making this post. Not only this was this a lost album, but this was one of my 'grails', also being on my "Missing List". Now that I have it in my hands it's every bit as good as I remember it.
I have been looking for this record for years, contacted DreamWorks on both of his accounts, reached out to people who knew him and tried trackers for years with no results. I never got any closer to hearing it. I obtained his Celesteville album but while a nice Vaporwave release it wasn’t what I want.
Although I can't remember exactly how I heard of this record I believe it was through Reddit. DreamWorks used to post there a few times and if I recall correctly he posted this record to /r/vaporwave, noting it a Dungeon Synth-take on the genre. He may not have posted it there and I may have gotten it by following him on Bandcamp but idk.
Back then I listened to it once and noted it sounded like a very cartoony Dungeon Synth album, unique amongst other DS albums and that it was pretty good. I never listened to it past that and when I felt like giving it another spin it was gone.
Harkening back to an older post, while Kluisenaar's album was too Vaporwave, this wasn't vaporwave at all. It's just dungeon synth. Really good Dungeon Synth mind you but not Vapor at all.
While most Dungeon Synth albums have an ominous, foreboding tone, Labyrinth retains amore cartoon-ish, almost goofy sound to it. I don't mean like Middle Ages: Reclaiming the Throne sounds like a fantasy game but something more amateurish and DIY. To put it simply this album could be the soundtrack for a mid-2000s Horror flash game on Newgrounds with simple drawn monsters with no shading and poorly aged jump scares. I love it.
It keeps itself serious using these sounds unironically, uses extensive MIDI and often strange sounds that manage to keep up a foreboding and ominous atmosphere.
Like 'Your Worst Fears' starts off with this spooky piano that comes in an out with screeching strings to help make the mood lonelier. Then it comes with the rest of the instruments and drums shuffling that sounds like someone creeping along.
No Turning Back is another cool track. I don't know if those are steel drums or not, but I've never heard that instrument used in Dungeon Synth before. It fits perfectly and even though it sounds bright and happy, DreamWorks weaves into a dark sound making it fit within buzzing drones.
Thinking on it, this album almost veers into Library Music and Hauntology with the way it approaches its concepts.
With how Vaporwave evokes nostalgia this album does too in a strange. I don't know if that's what DreamWorks was intending but damn if he didn't pull it off.
Reasons for Disappearance:
I have absolutely no idea where DreamWorks went. This album released in June of 2019 and vanished around November of 2019. When it vanished DreamWorks disappeared too. He has too Bandcamp pages still active but nothing on them. One states he has new music on the way, though it has said that for years.
I don't know where DreamWorks is, but he can seriously make music. I don't know what made him stop or if he's even still alive but if you are out there, you got talent man. Come back.
This release was recovered by a combo of users from RYM who helped me put it together from loose tracks and re-tagging. Shouts to Bruhmask, Bulma and Lainscore.
The download below also includes his Celesteville album. It's a Babar-themed vaporwave album.
Download: aHR0cHM6Ly9tZWdhLm56L2ZpbGUvM014Z0FRZ1ojQVRoTzRKRVVPNmYwaHBRRkc1Z1lBRHJQN0todVRoMEQxeC1MR284d3ZkMA==
Password: dungeonsynth
Oh also, Tunes of Illusion if you are reading this go fuck yourself.
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