1, 2, 3, 4, whats underneath the floor’, so Finnish singer Mirel Wagner introduces us into her dark world, with her 2nd album ‘Where the Cellar Children See the Light of Day, on Sub Pop records.. Written in the isolation of a log cabin in northern Finalnd with no central heating or electricty, and only a mouse for company, Wagner has written as astonishing set of songs, powerful and brutally bare. Every chord, word, note and sound seems to have such an intensity to it, and even the silences are hard hitting.
Lets face it, the title ‘Where the Cellar Children See the Light of Day’ hardly sets a cheery tone, and this album is dark, melancholy. Whilst short at around 35 minutes, it has an almost epic quality to it. ‘The Dirt’ stands out with its terrifying depiction of a drying out water well ‘you cant eat the dirt even if you want to…. but you’ll be in the dirt, you’ll be the dirt’. Occasionally the loneliness of guitar is supplemented by the sound of cello, but this is pretty much just Wagner and guitar.
This is not a comfortable album to listen to, but its challenging, brave, and hugely rewarding. Mirel Wagner is simply an outstanding talent, and ‘Where the Cellar Children See the Light of Day’ is essential listening.
Nordic Music Review 9/10
