FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

Music

Night Profound's 'Invocatio Lux, Evocatio Nox​' Offers Calm and Reflection During the Darkest Night

Stream the Canadian neofolk duo's melancholy, magisterial, and utterly lovely Not Just Religious Music debut.

In times of great sadness and rage, music has the power to heal—or, at the very least, to offer a quiet moment of calm (even more so if you've got a decent pair of headphones). For that reason over the past unbelievable few days, I've found myself returning time and time again to Night Profound's Invocatio Lux, Evocatio Nox. Neofolk generally makes for perfect chill-out music at the best of times, with its clean acoustic picking, rippling melodies, and earnest voices. But, there's something especially compelling and elevating about Night Profound's take on an often hackneyed genre. For some reason, it gives me hope.

Advertisement

This mark's the Canadian duo's first release for Not Just Religious Music, the label run by King Dude's TJ Cowgill, and is their most ambitious work to date. Formed by S.P Haché (whose other projects include the death metal severity of Mitochondrion and Auroch) and R. Scythe Bearer, Night Profound has a scant few releases to its name (though several festival appearances and tours under its belt); it's a young project, with an old, old soul. The pair's deep, sonorous voices lead the proceedings, accompanied by dual acoustic guitars and magisterial percussion; their lyrical focus is occult and obscure (they do call themselves "Cththonic folk," after all), but fragments of emotional fragility peek though, too. It's fundamentally melancholy, introspective music, and is easy to become utterly lost in; right now, it's a welcome escape from harsh reality.

This kind of dark folk is extremely easy to fuck up or render utterly impotent, but Invocatio Lux, Evocatio Nox hits every mark and is a triumph on every level. What's more, it is beautiful. There is fire in our hearts, indeed…

Preorders are live now, and you can listen to the full album right here. Invoke the night below.

Kim Kelly is all folked up on Twitter.