Witchhouse duo Asenath Garden Occult have been making music together since 2023, drawing inspiration from electronic music and haunting sonic elements. With an intriguing band name that could have numerous historical and biblical interpretations, they have released a new 6-track EP, ‘tennessee’.
‘litany’ – A wonderfully atmospheric opening to the EP, replete with the sounds of the night – and a banjo. There are dark pads and an expressive, twisting vocal which builds the tension. At 90 seconds, it’s more of a prelude to set the mood, which it does perfectly…
‘waiting’ – The band write: “a song inspired by old-school folk music from the Appalachian region…The song is about watching time slowly pass, waiting for a love who may never return.” A cavernous hum with a repeating, hypnotic banjo motif continues the scary journey of the EP. Increasingly intense and distorted pads spread through the track like a wildfire.
‘turn’ – I loved the tightly processed reese here, together with the most dynamic beat so far. There’s a nice groove and an insistent vocal that is crisp, clear, and really catchy. But wait! There is a second voice too – another character has joined this macabre show!
‘layla’ – No, this is NOT a cover of the Eric Clapton classic! It’s a continuation of this brooding horror story with a devastating synth sound and some creative drum programming. The tortured vocal feels like a trapped soul – you can almost hear her banging on the walls to escape.
‘born 2 die’ – There’s a great vocal sample at the start of this one – like something from a disturbing 70’s horror movie. Deep pads and swirling sounds circle above us like vampire bats. Diving sub bass sounds give this a wonderfully industrial feel at times, and dramatic, elegant melodies cut across the track like our benevolent saviours.
‘goodbye horses’ – The band say this song is about desire and regret (I wish there were lyrics sheets for this EP so I could dive even deeper into this world!). The bright, mellow opening guitar gave me a glimmer of hope at first – but the darkness soon approached – and before long, nightmarish distortion was fighting with the tuneful vocal in another overload of gargantuan synths. The crisp acoustic guitar pierces the end of the EP like a syringe with the antidote.
The 6 tracks of ‘tennessee’ last a little over 13 minutes, and they feel like one single, epic piece. The songs melt into one another, often without a gap in between, forming a seamless sonic world that feels like some ancient, mystical, living-breathing place.
Sometimes scary and macabre, sometimes darkly ambient, ‘tennessee’ delivers a rich concoction of sounds. Above all, though, this is a truly unique soundtrack and an exhilarating thrill, like being chased by a phantom on Halloween night.
Written by Grubby
