The Helen Scarsdale Agency
Beginning this remarkably cohesive 56 minute set, "En Dare Kan FragaMer An Tre Visa Kan Svara" approaches like distant footsteps trying towalk straight on a windy path. Small rustling sounds eventuallycoalesce into thicker swarms over 12 minutes. This music is successfulbecause it recalls a barren landscape, but still provides small,recognizable nuances to cling to. The quiet crackling sounds, belltones and low moans which hover just below the long sustained tones ofeach piece add depth. At first Vikinga Brennivinseems minimalist in that there are no melodic or rhythmic elements.However, its appeal lies in uncovering the many layers of sound thatmake up this minimal facade. During "Heilir, thorn eirs hlyddu" thereis a wall of static that is barely noticeable until it is suddenlyremoved from the mix at the six minute mark. The six minutes thatfollow this shift are then more interesting because they feel likeundergrowth being pulled to the surface for inspection. On "En Dare..."and "Det Ar..." the trio pursue a decidedly more organic sound, whileon "Heilir..." and "Vidunder" a digital patina is added to the low-endrumbling that provides contrast but doesn't sound too jarring. On"Vidunder" in particular, sharp high-end digital stabs echo fromspeaker to speaker and are the closest the trio get to achievingrhythmic tension. During "Det Ar..." a single low tone is given severalminutes to meander before being joined by what sounds like smoke or gasbeing emitted from a pipe. The effect is akin to watching clouds passslowly overhead through a skylight. The sounds that are used throughoutthe album sound as if they were carefully chosen. The group meets itsobjective of combining elements in ways that produce subtly changing,atmospheric works in which more is discovered upon each listen. Theyseem well-attuned to a common mission and the result sounds moreseamless than simply being the sum of familiar parts. The gorgeous,unique silkscreened copper plate by Jim Haynes that serves as thesleeve for the first edition of 300 enhances the perception that thisis a work which has been carefully and lovingly crafted out of acombination of passion and skill.
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