Review Summary: Adventurous dungeon synth with some synthwave sorcery.
The Australian artist Quest Master is one of today’s most prolific dungeon synth musicians. Releasing albums continuously since 2017, the style and atmosphere of Quest Master’s music can best be described as adventurous, melodic, truly escapist music — most reminiscent of the music from early-generation RPG and JRPG video games. There’s a clear upward trajectory in the musical development of this project, and I can say without exaggeration: the discography is now enriched with increasingly better albums.
Initially rooted in the old-school dungeon synth style, the project has, in recent years, begun to outgrow the genre’s boundaries — most notably through the influence of synthwave. The rhythm instruments and beats drive the melodic world of
Obscure Power as well. The result is a dynamic musical flow that seems to almost vibrate with energy! This "vibrating" sensation is further enhanced by the instrumentation: ethereal, airy, and at times glassy-sounding synthesizers (evoking a bit of new age here), which are wonderfully illustrated by the imaginative (and slightly surreal) track titles, such as “Corporate Crystals”, “Skybox Dreaming”, and “Ethereal World Plaza”. These titles, paired with the music and cover art, conjure the image of a bright, glittering fantasy world in my mind. And this atmosphere — how elegantly and yet powerfully the music sweeps you away — might be the greatest strength of
Obscure Power, and what makes it stand out from this year’s releases.
It’s hard to pick a single highlight from the album, as every track on
Obscure Power feels distinct yet forms a beautiful, cohesive whole — the 34-minute runtime really flies by! Despite its grace, the album is also remarkably dense, with numerous instruments and tiny sound effects crafting its sonic landscape, leaving plenty to discover with each listen. I can confidently recommend it to anyone who enjoys dungeon synth, synthwave, new age electronic music… or simply to any fantasy enthusiast.
