Nordic Giants - A Seance of Dark Delusions
The debut album from Nordic Giants, comprising the mysterious Loki and Roka, is almost otherworldly in its conceptual and musical breadth, and imagination. Astonishingly complex and beautiful soundscapes that are passionately cinematic, are punctuated with emotionally charged vocals, from a range of very talented guest artists. This album takes post-rock and shoegazing influenced music to new heights of artistic ambition. It's an exhilarating musical ride, if you are not afraid to risk yourself and jump on board.
Evolve or Perish follows the eerie choral introduction of Elysian Skies, and is born with an intense and rhythmically complex melodic phrasing, through the keyboards and drums. An electro masterpiece, with cinematic overtones; and the spoken voice intoning a desperate and depressing vision of the future, serves only to reinforce the bleakly noir feel created by the music. Superb!
Rapture, featuring the unimpeachable perfectly formed voice of Beth Cannon from Brighton's Written in Waters, is equal parts the Cocteau Twins, Opera and King Crimson. Giving birth from that eclectic mix to a completely original and sonically breathtaking song, that is massively impressive!
Dissolve features Saturday Sun aka Athousandfurs, who supported Nordic Giants on their recent UK tour. Surely this must be the most beautiful and heart rending song written for a male voice. A standout amongst many standout tracks. The choice of vocalists and the complimentary nature of their voices to the sonic landscapes created by the Nordic Giants, is completely symbiotic. Scarily so, in that it makes an intensely emotional connection for the listener.
Black Folds with its beautiful and languid trumpet soloing is quite literally one of the most moving and touching musical pieces to have hit turntables this year. It's the type of music that can transport you anywhere you want to go in your imagination. It is graceful and utterly immersive in the way it draws the listener in.
Where the Nordic Giants go from making such a completely perfect album is anyone's guess, and if they didn't make another record (which of course we hope is not the case!), this would be a worthy bid for musical greatness.