Release date: 20th April 2018
Hugsjá is the second collaborative album from Ivar Bjørnson (Enslaved) & Einar Selvik (Wardruna), following 2016’s Skuggsjá and it’s another fine effort from the talented pair.
A beautifully constructed piece, Hugsjá paints a stunning picture and brings the listener on a musical journey from start to finish. It brings together what makes Enslaved and Wardruna good, and merges them together to create a whole different beast. Bjørnson and Selvik have delivered eleven magnificently atmospheric songs that will give you goosebumps, and they’re a pleasure to hear.
It’s difficult to pinpoint exact highlights and strong points on the album because as well as it just being a very strong bit of work from start to finish, this is a piece that feels more like it should be listened to as one continuous track. The songs flow seamlessly to one another and everything about them is just incredibly immersive. It’s very easy to get lost in the music that the pair have created on Hugsjá and as such, it’s an absolute pleasure to bear witness to.
Hugsjá is a fine example of the talent exhibited by Bjørnson and Selvik. The pair made something wonderful with Skuggsjá, but have reached the next level with Hugsjá.
9.5/10
