It’s always nice when a band doesn’t conform to a rigid structure and genre because it makes for a gripping listen – you never know quite what’s coming next. Solefald do this to a very high standard with their brand new EP Norrønasongen. Kosmopolis Nord, exploring many different ideas, styles and techniques and it really keeps you on your toes.
With five tracks all contributing something different to Norrønasongen. Kosmopolis Nord, it’s a very engaging piece and the band explores a whole host of different genres, with Solefald touching on folk, doom and avant-garde, to name but three. Everything is blended together magnificently and the piece flows fantastically from song to song.
A particularly strong point of the EP is the vocals; with two vocalists it adds another string to their bow. There’s the deep and powerful vocals which add a lot of depth and body to the music, and give the music a generally mysterious tone, and there’s also the more rough-and-ready vocals that give a fresh and crisp feeling to the songs in parts. It works well to have the two different vocal styles juxtaposed against each other – particularly in second track Det Siste Landskap – and Solefald have got the balance just right.
Solefald have reached a new high with Norrønasongen. Kosmopolis Nord and it’s a refreshing listen that stands out from the crowd and showcases exactly what this band is capable of. A highly recommended listen.
9/10
