The Emerald Veil by Orbwielder
I always enjoy highlighting debuts from artists since they are new to the world of dungeon synth. I also enjoy highlighting strong debuts which feel like they need no time to warm up for a strong statement. I also enjoy highlighting local area dungeon synth to the Virginia/Maryland/DC area or anywhere I could drive to see a show. Orbwielder is a Baltimore project which could also be the soundtrack to a kickass 16 bit game you played as a child but no one remembers. The Emerald Veil is a stellar first impression on an artist I didn’t know about until they emailed me. There is magic happening at all times within this music. DMVds Forever.
The Ethereal Glow of the Fairy Woods by Great Mercenary
Great Mercenary, a dungeon synth project from Indonesia, has had three proper releases in 2026. The Adventure of Twilight Knight, Storm Over the Dragon Citadel, and finally The Ethereal Glow of the Fairy Woods all tell immersive fantasy tales from a world which seems to be handcrafted. If one listens to these previous works, a story emerges with this most recent release a proper introduction to the artist and their world of fantasy. Both traditional with moments of experimentation, Great Mercenary, creates an exceptional record and The Ethereal Glow of the Fairy Woods is a strong offering from an area whose underground arts seems to be growing at a noteworthy pace.
what remains after forgetting by Fragmented Memories
Though dungeon synth has obviously changed over the course of its patchwork history there still remains a spirit of sound. From the opening sounds of “a light in the unbound night” one would be hard pressed not to identify it as the spirit of dungeon synth. Both melodic airy and somber, this is a sound which is both magical and inviting to sleepless twilights. Fragmented Memories is a married couple from Amsterdam who, in addition to releasing dungeon synth records, are responsible for the “Echoes From The Dungeon Fest.” what remains after forgetting (intentionally lowercase) is the first release for 2026 and perhaps will be the only offering from the project this year,. I mention that because the care and craft which goes into these records is considerable and more than enough to get lost in over during the coming dark seasons.
Depths of the Lich Lord by Halberd
“You happen upon a dark cave in the woods. Was it there before? Did it just appear? ” There is a simplicity in writing blurbs like this on the Bandcamp which are both sort of silly but eternally fun. Lines like this give a feeling this is not just a record but a partial RPG session or computer game which slimes just appeared in the twisting path. Actually that is exactly what is happening. Depths of the Lich Lord is a soundtrack written for a fictional game of sorts and by the sounds of the bitcrushed melodies one can almost visualize the enemies attacking but then flashing out of existence when you overpower them all on a gloomy static background.
Dunes of Tarnoth by Skeleton Mage
There are actually two new releases from the Swedish project Skeleton Mage and they couldn’t be more different. An 8-Bit Fantasy Adventure is a reimagining of past works in the fashion of 8bit game music. It is fun, simple, and of course well crafted as to be expected from this project. Dunes of Tarnoth is different as it is advertised as cold desert themed and, much like previous records, takes place in the imaginary world of the creator. Though this is a fantastical place pulled from imagination the use of temperate deserts in fantasy is sparse so the use of wandering drone and ritual ambient soundscapes makes this brief record a fantastic exploration of not only a unique biome but a sound palette for adventure.
Sterevenn by Forge of Nova
Then Gafnen sang one final time / To kindle fire within the crystal / Giving birth to the ultimate creature / Bearer of apocalypse / Sterevenn, the First Dragon. If you have time you should read the poem at the bottom of the Bandcamp page. I did not know the album was named after a fictional dragons which is the centerpiece to a musician epic. Forge of Nova is a French duo with Baddoar providing music and a figure known as Bleunwoann providing lore. It is a unique style of relationship which yields mysterious and cavernous atmospheres. Each of the tracks in Sterevenn are lengthy and command attention which are perhaps befitting a dragon grand reputation.
Dungeon Cynth – TTRPG w/Blades of Folmär by Blades of Folmär
This record was actually released in June and though I was going to blurb another album by this label I kept reading about this soundtrack. I enjoy games and synth music and most certainly the combination of the two. Dungeon Cynth, the TTRPG, is a humorous and somewhat self referencing game about a musician who in the course of making a dungeon synth album, summoned a god of outer chaos. The game is about the musician trying to finish the album while the world slowly marches to its inevitable ruin. This reflexive and self referential take on dungeon synth is something I feel that could only take place now as the genre has grown to a size where artists are allowed to approach the genre anyway they see fit. The unorthodox game, and its orthodox soundtrack by Blades of Folmär, is a wild combination which is supported by Sokol Keep — a label which seems to possess endless imagination.
Glittering Caves by Grimdor
Grimdor proudly professes the dedication to old school dungeon synth on their newest releases. Grimdor, a project which has one synth member but recurring vocal collaborators, has spent some time releasing limited edition tapes for their brief releases. Glittering Caves is already sold out in the 20 days it took me to write this review. It is not hard to see why as the group is entirely dedication to the world of Tolkien and theory mournful melodies feel both iconic and ancient. If you page through their previous releases they all look like soundtracks you would get out opf a mail order catalog deep within the 1990s.
Far Reaching Fields by Valagnor
Far Reaching Fields is the first release in 2026 by Australian project Valagnor. Previously you could find this project through a release on Realm & Ritual as well as a self titled and self released debut. Since the releases by this project are on the shorter side, it allows oneself to listen to an entire body of work which is an experience. Much like the thawing of winter into spring there is a warmth to this project which is surrounded by chilling shadows. This is comfy synth but also depressive lofi as well as emotional honesty all within a release which is a little over 10 minutes long. i only make mention of the length since I fully believe time of release is of little consequence if the statement is powerful enough to land a few short tracks.
Tormantic Gravity by Cognizancer
Cognizancer is a project from Bryan Wysopal who made music under the name Trogool. Trogool might be a name some people remember but by and large it remains a more obscure name in dungeon synth history. Cognizancer is a step beyond dungeon synth and its history and takes place in a different time period with an embrace of science fiction and cinematic atmosphere. the release is based around David Lindsay’s A Voyage to Arcturus — an eccentric science fiction novel written in 1920. If one has time I urge them to look up the summary for this book and perhaps listen to cinematic dungeonwave as a soundtrack.
Defender of the Slumbering Weald by Ard Gondram
“Hail True Dark Dungeon Music.” I love album covers which look like it is the death rattles of a printer. Perhaps I enjoy this release so much since the music is the musical equivalent to the cover. Defender of the Slumbering Weald is a project by the creator of Fanged Imp, Bruxa, Witch’s Amulet, as well as perhaps others i am not even aware of. Much like the dedication which adorns the Bandcamp page is a proclamation to the tradition of dungeon synth. It is music of the most solemn nature but heard through noisy amplification. It is music which feels like a sentence written in pencil with its point breaking from the pressure.
Twilit Capnomancy by Dwimmercraft
Twilit Capnomancy is the process of diving by smoke patterns — ostensibly by twilight. The occult and esoteric subjects of this albums’ release mimics the minimal metaphysical nature of this release. Twilit Capnomancy is a project by Jon Rosenthal who also lent their talents to Forlorn, Bergtagen, Mors Vitaque, and various other black metal and dungeon adjacent works. Though the setup of a lone casio might be thought of as primitive, the melodies of Dwimmercraft are lush and oftentimes hypnotic as if magic takes over when the physical realm. Songs like “Precognition” spiral overhead much like the smoke in the John William Waterhouse cover which is used for the cover. this is a release which is a minimal mediation on the nature of magic and existence.
The Elegance of Vestigia by Victorian Specter
In the early 2020’s (I know) Victorian Specter released their self titled debut. The music on that release was a romantic take on dungeon synth which was combined with a cover showcasing the painting La Primavera by Émile Vernon. That release, and its cover, was unique to dungeon synth as a focus was centuries away from the medieval era. Over the years, the project has taken on a more…spectral take on 19th century aesthetics leading to The Elegance of Vestigia, an warm embrace on Victorian esotericism and a tribute to occultist Moina Mathers. Songs like “Vault of the Adepti” are vivid with imagination and mood that even the shift in time period is of little consequence.
Dead Starre by Secunda and Hecate
Dead Starre is a collaborative album between US artists Hecate and Secunda. Both artists are prolific creators who are open to partnerships between other weirdos and ideas. Dead Starre is a melding of all things strange with an array of genres from neofolk, spoken word, dark ambient, and maybe dungeon synth somewhere in between. The record is a psychedelic journey which continues to allow experimental musicians to push beyond the cloak and dungeon to find something that makes sense to them. With the cover from Hecate’s collage to the tapes by Cave Bird Records, this release feels like a union of weirdos dedicated to the strange arts.
PURPL ARMOR by Purpl Armor
Dungeon Synth / Dreamcore from the early internet era 🗡️ . Yes this is it. The weird things. At the time of finding PURPL ARMOR there was only one other supporter for this record and was perhaps found the same way I did — paging through bandcamps looking for odd things. Purpl Armor is listed as dreamcore / dungeon synth which, despite the two genres being cousins musically, feels light years away from each other. PURPL ARMOR lays a blueprint for genre bleed where vapor adjacent aesthetics transforms the castle into a time warp and everything is dreamy and eternally cool. This might not be the most popular style of music but for the few of us (shout out to Nix/Void Mage) we are in the glowing castle having a blast.