Ulver
Messe I.X – IV.X
Jester Records/Kscope
2013
Ulver ain’t what they used to be. If this is part of their evolution & progression then I’ll take it as it is and celebrate it. But it’s hard for all the fans to understand what not having any musical boundaries and progressing is for a band no matter what. I bet Ulver can continue their music journeys without having the concern or the pressure whether they will please their fan base or not, since that fan base is changing with every new release.
This is exactly what’s happening concerning their newest work which is entitled “Messe I.X – IV.X”. Ulver present another side of theirs… a side that even their most open-minded fan wouldn’t have had in mind. Pushing their boundaries even further Ulver wonderfully blend ambient, dark, symphonic, neo-classical, orchestral, progressive, avant-garde, atmospheric & darkwave music with electronic bits & extra psychedelia. If you’re somewhat confused with the description above just give it a go and you’ll get my point of view. The music in this album was made by Tromsø Kulturhus in cooperation with the Arctic Opera and the Philharmonic Orchestra. Martin Romberg also arranged the music for the 21 members of Tromsø Chamber Orchestra. The album also features the extraordinary talents of contemporary composers/musicians Ole-Henrik Moe and Kari Ronnekleiv. The production is top notch & full, even though much of the music was recorded “live” according to the band.
With the addition of very few vocal parts, Ulver delivers the most “weird, ambitious & evolutionary” album to date. There’s only one way to experience or more precisely to feel this strange album. You shall put on your headphones and leave Ulver drag you to the moody, odd & melancholic places of their inner space. All tracks have their slow & serene side as they reach a certain climax and then they ease again. All six songs have their own special music character but in my opinion “Son of a Man” steals the impressions at the end. I do not know where Ulver can go from here but one thing is for sure; they won’t ever cease to surprise us. “Messe I.X – IV.X” is for those who seek non-ordinary & lyrical music…
This is exactly what’s happening concerning their newest work which is entitled “Messe I.X – IV.X”. Ulver present another side of theirs… a side that even their most open-minded fan wouldn’t have had in mind. Pushing their boundaries even further Ulver wonderfully blend ambient, dark, symphonic, neo-classical, orchestral, progressive, avant-garde, atmospheric & darkwave music with electronic bits & extra psychedelia. If you’re somewhat confused with the description above just give it a go and you’ll get my point of view. The music in this album was made by Tromsø Kulturhus in cooperation with the Arctic Opera and the Philharmonic Orchestra. Martin Romberg also arranged the music for the 21 members of Tromsø Chamber Orchestra. The album also features the extraordinary talents of contemporary composers/musicians Ole-Henrik Moe and Kari Ronnekleiv. The production is top notch & full, even though much of the music was recorded “live” according to the band.
With the addition of very few vocal parts, Ulver delivers the most “weird, ambitious & evolutionary” album to date. There’s only one way to experience or more precisely to feel this strange album. You shall put on your headphones and leave Ulver drag you to the moody, odd & melancholic places of their inner space. All tracks have their slow & serene side as they reach a certain climax and then they ease again. All six songs have their own special music character but in my opinion “Son of a Man” steals the impressions at the end. I do not know where Ulver can go from here but one thing is for sure; they won’t ever cease to surprise us. “Messe I.X – IV.X” is for those who seek non-ordinary & lyrical music…