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Flickers from the Fen Channels Cozy Escapism with "Stoned in Gielinor" (Early Album Stream)


When I first saw the Flickers From The Fen eail signature, a rebranded Old School Runescape (OSRS) logo, I sent it to three of my friends. After we all laughed, I then immersed myself in the record and was delighted. Flickers From The Fen has many things to process even before listening to the music. From the aforementioned logo, to the comedic album cover, to the irreverent text introduction which rests in the video description, Flickers from the Fen might win over half of their audience before even pressing play. I know this because I was there. With so much going on, I am sure glad the music stands up to the aesthetic package.

OSRS, as an aesthetic foundation, is oddly powerful. The massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), initially released in 2007 as Runescape, has seen continued popularity for its immersive gameplay in spite (and maybe because) of its rudimentary graphics. There is a current nostalgia for the gaming world of the early 2010’s with most of its cohort reminiscing about a period which was free of responsibility and current events. OSRS developed a niche community who retained nostalgia for an original and uncomplicated version of a game everyone loved. I feel every generation has this breaking point and the early 2010’s is rich in a world of early YouTube, macro memes, and browser based RPGs. There is deep nostalgia for a game that despite only being less than 20 years old feels like it is a part of a much older generation. Musically, OSRS has been adopted in various genres most notably in 2018 with the release of runescape斯凱利‘s runescape​.​wav​符​文​風​景​骨​架 which has gone to be a vaporwave related classic. Perhaps this is why its use in DIY internet music genres feels so intuitive as they try to channel this realm through wild magic to travel to a place where responsibilities don’t exist and all you have is soda and all of the time in the world.

Stoned in Gielinor as a debut excels not just as a dungeon synth record but also as a celebration of OSRS content. Crafted by a deep love for the game, the idyllic lofi melodies acknowledge the official soundtrack without it being a direct tribute. From the eponymous opener to the triumphant closing track “Hope in Lumbridge (Never Made it to Isafdar),” Stoned in Gielinor promotes warm escapism while being slightly high. While a comfy soundtrack could be everything one would need in the world, Flickers From The Fen exhibits bouts of experimental flair. “Sky Burial (Pt. II)” and “A Lumbering Beast” possess the bones of black metal just in polygonal graphics and a compact HUD. For an album that feels expected upon first glance, the breadth of the adventure is wide and vast. Much like the nameless figure on the cover, Flickers From The Fen feels like they are playing a game from a fantastical world of their own. I can’t think of a more apt metaphor for dungeon synth than a wizard in front of an old CRT monitor without a care in the world.

Stoned in Gielinor releases March 3rd independently via Bandcamp.