Drcarlsonalbion – La Strega And The Cunning Man In The Smoke

Dylan Carlson's growing obsession with British folkloristics is notably evident in his recent work with Earth, but it's deconstructed to an even greater extent in his solo work. This second offering under the Drcarlsonalbion moniker – his first Southern Studios session – consists mostly of stripped down re-renderings of traditional folk music.

The improvisational vibes of the excellent Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II are carried over here; Carlson's unmistakable, brain-massaging guitar tones are mostly slowed down to an ambient pace, save for an oddly sinister take on The Kinks' Wicked Annabella. Closing the set with a rendition of PJ Harvey's Last Living Rose turns out to be an incredibly well-judged decision, too. Teresa Colamonaco's vocal contributions have to be commended; her voice plays a large part in giving the record a distinctively rustic quality. The wisdom of the drone king really shines through on this noble addition to the Latitudes series. [Ross Watson]