Electronic/Review Brooklynzhen - Light of the Dead

Brooklynzhen, the musical alias of Glasgow-based artist Allan McCafferty, is a versatile musician, producer, and developer. With a background in death metal and drum machines, Brooklynzhen has transitioned into the realms of underground house and techno, drawing inspiration from influential figures such as Sub Club DJs, Homework by Daft Punk, and the French underground house scene. In a world where diversity and division coexist, Brooklynzhen's music aims to create moments and memories that uplift spirits, making underground, grimey house music the sanctuary of happiness.

“Light of the Dead” by Brooklynzhen is a haunting and deeply evocative piece that merges experimental production with a powerful environmental narrative. Arguably the artist’s most ambitious work to date, the track unfolds less like a conventional song and more like a living, breathing soundscape—one that immerses the listener in the fragile, fading ecosystems of the Amazon.

What makes the track immediately striking is its conceptual perspective. By channeling the imagined consciousness of wild animals—lizards and birds of paradise—Brooklynzhen creates a disquieting emotional distance. These creatures exist unaware of the destruction closing in around them, and that innocence becomes the song’s quiet tragedy. It’s a subtle but devastating commentary on environmental collapse, delivered without overt dramatics.

The production process plays a crucial role in shaping this atmosphere. Recorded across spontaneous sessions using only first takes, the track carries a raw, unfiltered immediacy. The use of guitar and analog synth routed through RAT and Boss SDE 3000 delay pedals gives the sound a textured, almost tactile quality. Though initially recorded in mono, the later use of panning and volume sculpting expands the sonic field, creating a sense of movement that feels both organic and disorienting.

There’s a meditative quality to “Light of the Dead,” but it’s never entirely calm. Beneath the ambient layers lies a persistent tension—an awareness of danger that mirrors the track’s theme of unseen exploitation.

Ultimately, Brooklynzhen delivers a piece that is as technically inventive as it is emotionally affecting, offering a stark, immersive reflection on nature’s vulnerability and silence.