Chicago experimental project Black Leather Birds returns with Of Children and Their Sorceries, a five-track EP, more like wandering through a forgotten dreamscape where time has stopped ticking. The solo project of producer, composer, and technologist A.G. Syjuco—best known for his work with experimental rock outfit Jack of None—leans heavily into atmosphere, spoken-word storytelling, and literary surrealism, crafting a collection that sits somewhere between dark theatre, prose poetry, and avant-garde music.
From the opening moments of “Nothing Ever Grows Here,” the EP establishes its unsettling world. Haunting textures drift through the speakers like cold air in an abandoned cellar while gritty guitar riffs grind beneath a spoken-word duet between male and female voices. The lyrics paint a chilling landscape suspended outside of time, where prayers never reach the sky and clocks have long stopped counting. Rather than relying on melody, the track thrives on mood and imagery, creating a sense of eerie stillness that lingers long after it ends.
Elsewhere, “The Box” injects a different kind of tension. Beginning with the buzz of a bee before thick, punchy instrumentation and rumbling drums emerge, the track unfolds like an audio thriller. The narrator’s serious, measured delivery amplifies the mystery surrounding the inexplicable package at the centre of the story. Every musical swell increases the suspense, turning an ordinary suburban scenario into something deeply unsettling.
Then comes “Goodnight My Darling,” perhaps the EP’s most haunting moment. A heartbeat pulses in the darkness before the shrill cry of a cuckoo clock cuts through the silence. What follows is a deceptively gentle lullaby melody, comforting and unnerving in equal measure, perfectly capturing the project’s fascination with beauty hiding alongside dread.
Throughout Of Children and Their Sorceries, Syjuco demonstrates remarkable control over atmosphere and narrative. Rather than offering easy answers, the EP invites listeners into shadowy corners of the subconscious where anxiety, memory, and imagination intermingle. Strange, hypnotic, and richly cinematic, it is a release that rewards those willing to surrender to its peculiar spell.
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Review by: Naomi Joan