Review: Talst - Sewn into the Infinite Sky

Artist: Talst

Album: Sewn into the Infinite Sky

Label: Winter-Light

Release date: January 2026

In a seemingly ever-growing sea of dark ambient projects, it's a surprisingly rare occurrence to hear of new and notable names from the American continent. Luckily, Talst, a relatively recent project of the Chicago-based musician Rob Meldrum, is a welcome exception to this rule, having just released his second full-length album on Winter-Light, a label that has a history of (not to mention a penchant for) plucking quality artists from obscurity. Ever on the lookout for something new and different (and admittedly unacquainted with his debut), I was curious to hear what this somewhat unknown artist had to offer for Winter-Light to sign him for a sophomore release.

Quite a lot, as it turns out. In additional to the beautifully evocative album title, which immediately gives listeners a sense of spaciousness in a genre often preferring to brood in tight, dark corners, Talst also excels at creating vast, expansive soundscapes that take time to reveal their full scope. Technically speaking, the music is drone-based and relatively simple, relying on dynamics rather than the number of sounds and layers to convey its message. It's in this facet of Talst's that his craft is hidden; where most musicians would go for a rich, lush sound to get their point across, Talst intentionally opts for slowing things down and focusing on the journey rather than the destination, taking his time to paint the entirety of the vision he aims to convey. Of course, going for a minimal sound and 10-plus-minute tracks simultaneously is a massive gamble with today's fragile attention spans, but it's a challenge that Talst navigates with ease thanks to his impressive command of dynamics. In fact, I walked away from this album thinking that it's a middle finger of sorts to the "cinematic dark ambient" espoused by many and mastered by precious few modern acts. Intertwine is a particularly good example of this, with basically just two or three repeating passages over its 15-minute running time, yet with a small modulation here and a subtle volume change there that make it hypnotic and evolving rather than repetitive and boring, with an accompanying change of moods that contribute to the feeling of watching a sci-fi film noir rather than listening to a mere piece of music.

Overall, Sewn into the Infinite Sky is a wonderfully refreshing take on a well-known subgenre, proving to all of us cynics that neither drone nor cinematic dark ambient have yet drawn their last breath, and that there is still space for innovation and excitement in the glut of releases in both genres. Talst has positioned himself as one of the most exciting new artists with this one, and I'm eager to hear which direction he'll develop his sonic arsenal in going forward.

Rating: 9/10