I've recently discovered this dungeon synth artist who works under the name Elyvilon, and his music is just ... really cool. Dungeon synth is a weird genre, to say the least, but it provides the space to approach various aesthetics and concepts in interesting and creative ways. I never quite "got" it until I found this artist.

Drums in the Deepwoods is the Elyvilon album I'm most enthusiastic about because its chosen aesthetic is Trolls. The true, Northern European folkloric/mythological Troll, not all the myriad other things that get called trolls these days. It's really hard to describe exactly how much Elyvilon understood the mission and how well he pulled it off. The song titles - I mean, Moss Laden and Shambling! A Hunger to Carry Off Flocks! And then the songs just sound like troll songs: heavy and lumbering, somehow moist and dark and earthy, but at the same time epic and immersive. And the album art! Dungeon synth artists really go all out on art, I swear.

I'd never call Elyvilon my favourite artist or dungeon synth my favourite genre, but man, any open-minded music listener really ought to try it at least once. It's such an indescribable genre and an unique listening experience, and the good stuff is way better than it has any right to be.

I'll take you on your word for "any genre":

• Elyvilon - A Hunger to Carry Off Flocks (Finnish folk/dungeon synth - best to listen to the album in full, but this song is really cool, and look at that incredible album art!)
• Black Wing - Twinkling (post-punk/post-rock)
• Autumn's Grey Solace - Forgotten, Fossilized, Archaic (dreampop/ethereal wave)
• Clouds - If These Walls Could Speak (atmospheric doom metal)
• Holy Fawn - Death Is A Relief (heavy, atmospheric shoegaze)
• Hedy West - Little Sadie (Appalachian traditional murder ballad)
• Esben and the Witch - No Dog (dark unconventional rock from a post-rock band)
• Sylvaine - Nowhere, Still Somewhere (blackgaze)
• Show Me a Dinosaur - Sunflower (blackgaze/post-rock)
• Heretoir - Golden Dust (blackgaze, but very warm-toned - the song itself sounds golden)

Lantlôs, their album .neon specifically. Jazz Blackgaze.

Song: Marriages - Salome

Artist: Alcest

Album (changes frequently): Holy Fawn, Death Spells or Autumn's Grey Solace, Within The Depths of a Darkened Forest

It's a combination of both. I don't need to understand the language or hear the lyrics clearly in order to enjoy the music, but lyrics can completely spoil my good time if I look them up later and don't like them. Good lyrics will also elevate my opinion of an otherwise good song.