There has been much debate, hand-wringing, rending of garments, and general shit-posting in the dungeon synth community as of late, much of it centered around what is, and more importantly what is not, dungeon synth. The genre is experiencing growing pains as more and more people discover it. And to be clear, I don’t pretend to be an OG here – I got into it a bit probably in 2020 and released my first track of what I at least believe to be dungeon synth in 2022, “First Grave”. I’ve enjoyed exploring the genre and its roots, but I also don’t take a hard line on what specifically falls into it.
Jordan Whiteman’s new book, Dark Dungeon Music: The Unlikely Story of Dungeon Synth, takes a firm stance on the definition of the genre, complete with “Requisite, Major Criteria” and “Adjunct Criteria”. Whiteman feels strongly that an artist or album is either clearly in or out, taking a more literal approach to the genre’s definition – dungeon synth doesn’t need to expand to encompass those on the fringes, instead we need to act as stewards and guard the walls from intruders. To be sure, there are things that artists self-describe as dungeon synth that I don’t think fit, particularly some of the parody stuff, but it also doesn’t really bother me. But I also think it’s perfectly fine for sci-fi-inspired artists to be part of the dungeon synth genre. Debating genres is something I enjoy doing with my friends over drinks, but not something I’m going to get legitimately fired up about.
I tend to take a more malleable approach when it comes to genres. For example, this enchanting album by Bardic Wizard is, to my ears, dungeon synth. Does it meet all the criteria laid out in Dark Dungeon Music? I’m not entirely sure. But… I also don’t really care that much either because, well, dungeon synth is just a label, a marker, a touchstone that can be used to give someone a sense of what the music (and its influences) sounds like. Bardic Wizard uses a number of tags on Bandcamp to describe Baerdcyn – dungeon synth, cottagecore, neo-folk, neo-medieval… words that when combined give one a certain feeling. And the album delivers on that promise.
Baerdcyn transports you to a pastoral place, an early morning in a field, the sun just rising above the tops of the trees as its light just begins to kiss the tips of the tallest grasses, the dew glistening before it evaporates in the heat of the day. The flute work is beautiful, and when combined with the gently plucked strings in certain passages makes you think that perhaps this field is somewhere in the East… but that’s your brain to contextualize it based on what you know, because really Bardic Wizard has brought you to someplace other, someplace not of this world or its past, but instead someplace you’ve never been before. It’s gentle and purposeful, slowly leading you by the hand as the morning emerges fully formed, signaling the start of a new day and with the promise of new adventures. It’s the perfect early-morning-with-a-cup-of-coffee accompaniment.
Originally released digitally on Bandcamp in 2022 HERE, Baerdcyn has seen two cassette issues since then, first by Cosmic Ocean in 2023, and then by Woodland Crown Records in 2024. My version is from Woodland Crown, an individually-numbered edition of 35 copies with enchanting J-card and cassette shell artwork. Both cassette versions are long-since sold out, so you’ll have to track them down on the secondary market. However, you can stream and buy digitally from the artist at the link above, and it’s also available for streaming on Spotify, so you have no excuses not to give it a listen.