Spend the season right with 13 dark holiday classics of untraditional fare. Turn down the lights... it's a dark noel!

Excelsis: A Dark Noel (2021 Remaster) is a landmark holiday compilation from Projekt Records that reimagines traditional seasonal music through a distinctly gothic and ethereal lens. Originally released in 1995 and widely regarded as a pioneering entry in alternative holiday music, this collection gathers a roster of influential darkwave, ethereal, and ambient artists to reinterpret familiar carols with atmospheric depth and introspective tone.

Rather than embracing the conventional warmth of holiday standards, Excelsis transforms them into shadowed, dreamlike soundscapes. Artists such as Love Spirals Downwards, Lycia, Faith and the Muse, and Black Tape for a Blue Girl bring their signature styles to these reinterpretations, blending layered vocals, ambient textures, and minimalist arrangements. The result is a cohesive listening experience that evokes winter's quieter, more contemplative side--favoring mood and texture over tradition while still honoring the core melodies of the original compositions.

The compilation's enduring appeal lies in its ability to balance reverence and reinvention. Tracks like 'Welcome Christmas' and 'We Three Kings' are rendered with a haunting beauty, while more experimental contributions introduce subtle dissonance and abstraction, expanding the emotional palette of holiday music. Contemporary reviews at the time of release noted its trance-like quality and its appeal to listeners seeking something more introspective and unconventional during the season.

This 2021 remastered edition enhances the original recordings with improved clarity and depth, presented in a 6-panel digipak format. With over 15,000 copies sold in its original release and a lasting reputation as a cult favorite, Excelsis: A Dark Noel remains a defining alternative to traditional holiday compilations--an immersive and atmospheric soundtrack for those drawn to the darker, more reflective side of the season.

 

Track Listing

• Arcanta - Carol of the Bells
• Love Spirals Downwards - Welcome Christmas (from Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas)
• Thanatos - O Come All Ye Faithful
• This Ascension - Carol of the Bells
• Area - O Come Emmanuel
• Thanatos - The First Noel
• Lovesliescrushing - Jingle Bells (Snowblower)
• Balderas & Osborne - What Child Is This?
• Black tape for a blue girl - Chanukkah, Oh Chanukkah
• Lycia; The Unquiet Void - We Three Kings
• Faith and the Muse - A Winter Wassail
• Autopsia - Stille Nacht (g)RAVE remix
• Attrition - Silent Night

Additional Details

Label: Projekt

Genre: Holiday

Language: English

Run Time: 50:00 mins

Region: 0

Release Date: 09/03/21

UPC: 617026038728