I’d love to start off with something like, “When it comes to Ulver, the only thing we can expect is the unexpected,” but by this point the Norwegian outfit has been consistently
- exploring synth tones and ambient textures (2000, 2002, 2007)
- composing or arranging classical pieces (1998, 2005, 2011)
- interpolating numerous strains of experimental music (2000, 2001, 2005)
for more than a decade, as mythic frontman Kristoffer
“
- Garm
- God Head
- Fiery G Maelstrom
“
Rygg steers his collaborators through increasingly ambitious projects — all of which could be seen as an unfathomable second career in the wake of their pioneering black metal youth spent
- juxtaposing tremolo-picked shreddery with acoustic interludes (1995, 1996).
- conjuring forest spirits and the demons of the night (1995, 1996).
- literally recording outside in the forest (1996).
2011’s War of the Roses carried on the group’s classical predilection by lacing instrumental overdubs and operatic vocals into its dense “electronic”-“rock” productions. If that album underwhelmed, the newly released Messe I.X - IV.X, recorded in participation with
- The Tromso Chamber Orchestra of the Norwegian Arctic Philharmonic,
- Norwegian composer Martin Romberg,
- a host of Norwegian avant all-stars (this one, this one, this one, this one),
finds the band honing their neo-classical fusion into a majestic lance and piercing our hearts with a giant “I told you so!” while a cinematic tableau of string players scraping bows and synth knobs spinning projects out onto the horizon as the background of our ignominious defeat. Scope out
- the allegro agitato drama of “Glamour Box (ostinati),” below.
- the Terry Riley-channeling deep zones of “Shri Schneider” @Pitchfork.
— the order pages for the LP and CD.
• Ulver: http://www.jester-records.com/ulver
• Kscope Records: http://www.kscopemusic.com
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