Nest, Retold (Serein)

The name of Erik Skodvin has graced these pages several times as a result of his releases as Svarte Greiner and his stewardship of the Miasmah label. His partner in Deaf Center, Otto Totland, has barely had a sniff. Until now. This new release (or rather a reissue of a 2007 EP with a healthy helping of new material) showcases Totland’s fruitful partnership with the boss of the newly-relaunched Serein label, Huw Roberts.

Given Totland’s background, I’m sure I would surprise absolutely no-one by saying that Retold is a haunting mixture of electronic and classical elements; however Roberts’s influence makes itself felt via some intriguing instrumentation, including Welsh harp. It begins on familiar territory with “Lodge“, pristine piano figures being shadowed by strings. While that resembles a hollowed out section from that Norwegian Pale Ravine (Retold in the main has an airier feel), what follows sounds like it is from a different continent altogether. “Kyoto” is possessed of an elegant orientalism, recalling the soundtrack work of the great Japanese minimalist pianist Ryuichi Sakamoto. That cinematic feel pervades Retold, with Nest constructing compelling narrative melodic arcs (mainly on piano) amidst tangled sub-plots of field recordings and instrumental drone. Light and dark are well-balanced, with the delicate “Charlotte” flowering slowly before the oppressive gloom of the newer “Helwick”, and with a choir unexpectedly illuminating the recesses of “Far From Land”.

Nest operate in an increasingly densely-populated field, as recent soundtrack releases by the likes of Johann Johannsson and Max Richter show. Retold is more than strong enough to hold its own amidst such company, and serves notice of the emergence – or rather re-emergence – of a label to watch. Welcome back, Serein.

Listen to more samples over at the Serein website.

Advertisement