Album Notes

Within Dark Territory sound scenarios build up melancholic moods, contrast language experiments with conjuring mystique, enchanting the ear with dense melodies. Libera Me just leaves one question unanswered: what should we get freed from in this case ?

Who are the rulers of this gloomy country, this Dark Territory which extends to a musical vastness rarely ever heard ?

In fact Dutch producers and musicians John and Jamez distinguished themselves as Lemonsoul producing Tekno Music since 2001. Jamez career dates back even earlier. He contributed to more than 100 releases in a period of ten years. John prefers to draw his inspiration as a lyricist, singer and composer from the moods of his environment.

The results are walks on the razor´s edge, which motivated both musicians to found Dark Territory. Here they give vent to their feelings transforming emotions into sounds, which let the listener shiver or urge him or her into an ecstatic dance. A liberation in many respects.

Landscape Painting In Minor

Dark Territory is different from the familiar underground. Sinister ethno and electronic beats fuse together into an ethereal mesh. The moods of the different tracks change as often as the language of the lyrics. At one point the listener accompanies Dante and Vergil into the purgatory of the divine comedy ("Ptolomea") before a Catholic funeral mass is being read in Latin.

Both sound designers declared experimentation to be the maxim, which reveals itself in the two-part "Creator", "DarkFlower" with its sacral atmosphere or the magical "Kalandare", "Vrijdag" and "Ankesuei".

The verbal and rhythmic improvisational work of these tracks creates a form of ritual trance. Close your eyes and get swirled over a vast plain. There you will catch sight of pagan cult sites as well as turntables, medieval market places and industrial frame made of steel. It is a strange country which you fly over and it is dark… a Dark Territory.


All tracks written, produced and recorded by Jamez and John van Loon. Mastered at Polyhymnia by Sander van der Heide.

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"...the songs have a potential soundtrack quality, for they conjure up fitting images in your mind. I especially want to mention "DarkFlower", for its sentimental beauty, its ceremonial spirit and its wonderful warm vocals." (Sandra @ Medienkonverter.de)

"Funny how they succeed in presenting Dead Can Dance next to Skinny Puppy. Dark, sensational. impelling and inventive..." (Amboss Musik Magazine)

"This album is difficult to compare to anything else. Its atmospheric ambient sounds are quite beautiful and it almost sounds like an art house film soundtrack, but one of the really cool ones where you'd prefer to buy the soundtrack in preference of seeing the film.
The opening track "Ptolomea" sets the tone nicely with its innocent organ sounds and deep background with a heart beat accompaniment. "Dark Flower" conjures up of wandering through the catacombes of some ancient European Cathederal. The use of unconvential instruments is quite interesting and tasteful, such as the dulcimer in "Tora Firome" and tribal drums in "Vrijdag". The Dance beats used in "Creator 1" and to a lesser extent in "Kalandare" feel a little out of place; still they aren't bad. If anything they seem to distract a little from the beauty of the rest of the CD." (Fiend Magazine)