Pastoralia
Karisma, 2021
8/10
An accomplished duo who also play in Tusmørke and Black Magic, as Jordsjø the pair put an inimitable twist on prog-rock with this unconventional 3rd album.
“Prolog” starts the listen with a soulful and playful version of folk-rock where unique guitar playing and fluent drumming emit a jazz like influence, too, and “Skumring/Karesuando” follows with a swift prog-rock presence that weaves in and out of flowing textures and also retreats to calm moments of beauty.
The title track lands in the middle, and recruits expressive singing in its soothing and tuneful execution, while “Fuglehviskeren” displays intricate acoustic guitar in a dizzying, cultured and very memorable album highlight.
Nearing the end, “Vettedans” makes great use of flutes and mellotron as they interact in timeless ways, and “Jord III” exits the listen soft and initially bare, with just keys illuminating the pretty landscape that builds into a layered journey of enormous talent.
Håkon Oftung and Kristian Frøland, i.e. Jordsjø, take help from Ola Mile Bruland, Mats Lemjan and Christian Meaas Svendsen, among others, and it results in some of the most interesting Scandinavian prog-rock you’re likely to hear anywhere.
Travels well with: Tusmørke- Nordisk Krim; Wobbler- Dwellers Of The Deep