Lyke Wake
At The End Of The Dream, Where Nothing Remains/Symphonic Noise

At The End Of The Dream, Where Nothing Remains/Symphonic Noise by Roman artist Stefano Di Serio aka Lyke Wake is one of his most ambitious works. It is the sequel to the splendid Crawling Through Abyss Of Pain/Simphonic Noise. Lyke Wake is an integral artist who has always sought to explore different styles in his music. Perhaps this is due to his vast background. Although he was born within the Italian post-industrial scene, Lyke Wake is a great admirer of the German Cosmic Music of the '70s and Klaus Schulze (and also of progressive music). And indeed, the influence of the German master is evident in his production alongside the noise sounds. In this new work, Stefano Di Serio wanted to travel even more innovative paths by further blending symphonic parts with noise elements and incorporating violin, flute, and voice. In reality, the string sound comes from a synth with the arpeggiator for the violin while the voice is generated from samples found online. The result is sumptuous: while listening to the long suite (over 65 minutes), we are immersed in a cold and dark atmosphere that certainly reflects the artist's negative view of daily reality (“the discomfort of someone who finds themselves in a world not their own, knowing that their own world does not exist”). The effect is cathartic, and I feel that this is perhaps his most “schulzian” album. I was reminded of Irrlicht, an album described as a “quadraphonic symphony for orchestra and electronic machines,” but also Audentity, characterized by the violin sounds of Wolfgang Tiepold. In any case, the result is original and sounds like a Lyke Wake album. I found the vocal parts very good (a device also used by Schulze in Black Dance) which give a touch almost like a dark opera to the whole, while the moments when noise merges with symphonic settings are disorienting. At The End Of The Dream, Where Nothing Remains/Symphonic Noise is a courageous album that deserves your attention.