We finished 2017 with our inevitable Album of the Year list, and this year the 'prestigious' award headed to Bergen and Major Parkinson, for their extraordinary release 'Blackbox'. So maybe it's appropriate that we start our 2018 introductions by going back to Bergen and 'The Other End', who today have released their debut single entitled 'Far from Home'.
'The Other End' comprise the duo of Ida Knoph-Solholm and Alexander Breidvik, and they describe their music as 'alternative indie / slowcore'. I'd simply describe it as mesmerizing. Their track 'Far from Home' is their first single, recorded, produced and mixed by Iver Sandøy at Solslottet Studio, and it will form part of an EP which is due to be released in March.
This duo have something startling about them, the vocals of Ida Knoph-Solholm are distinct, and their instrumentation is so stripped back that it throws the emphasis on every sound and echo, every intonation and the expressive way that the vocals are shaped. I love the way that both the vocals and the guitar resonate, floating away into the ether, it is really beautifully written, performed and produced. Of course, the weight of melancholy may not be to everyone's taste, but both lyrically and musically I think 'The Other End' capture the mood really well.
Take a listen to 'Far from Home' here:
'The Other End's debut EP is due to be released on CD and Vinyl (as well as streaming services) on March 16th, and it will be released through 'The Other Label'.