There is a deep irony within Meridian Arc’s new album. Its title, Aphantasia, refers to a neurological disorder that prevents the creation of visuals in the brain — where there should be images there’s only a void. But to listen to Meridian Arc is to be subjected to an onslaught of visions: ghouls clawing their way out of rotten soil, a maniac on the hunt through back alleys, explorers scouring a sunless planet for signs of life.

Conceived, written and performed by Andrew Crawshaw (owner and operator of design company Broken Press), his synthesized compositions are journeys through worlds that are both familiar and completely unpredictable.

Crawshaw cut his teeth bashing out rhythms behind a drum kit for bands such as Terminal Fuzz Terror and A Story of Rats, before moving onto analog instrumentation which, while more anodyne, evokes much richer and bleaker landscapes. It has allowed him to blend hypnotic tempos with layered arrangements that create immersive atmospherics.

Haunting, unnerving and at times almost beautiful, Aphantasia is Meridian Arc’s ode to a classic sound and a vision for its future.