Stillehavet - ‘Cosmos’ (single)
I had very little information to go on when I first heard the new track by Norwegian band Stillehavet, but there was something curious and interesting about the unworldly ‘Cosmos’ that made me want to find out more.
Somewhat inevitably it turns out that they come from close to Bergen (Bjørnafjorden - looks like ‘the scenic part’) and they’re a duo comprising of Marit Elisabeth Svendsbøe Stedje and Gaute Stedje. I couldn’t find much about other projects these guys have been involved in, other than a reference to a band called Funin, who seem to have released an album around 10 years ago called ‘Unsound’ by the very good people at Karisma Records. So all of that sounds very promising.
That album is still available on Spotify and I found myself listening to a few tracks, a blend of genres with a bewitching mix of rhythms. But back to Stillehavet and their debut self titled album released in 2016 is equally intriguing, with tracks such as ‘Gola Malimbe’ particularly impressive, bombarding the senses with an array of sounds and electronica.
Anyway their new song ‘Cosmos’ will be the opening track from a new album due out in November. Entirely electronic based, it’s a surprisingly powerful release that slowly builds up in intensity, and with vocals that carve out a melody that is somehow melancholy but gently uplifting too. Again though it’s the rhythms that beguile, and the duo clearly have a fascination with the precision in sounds that they produce, and that has made me listen to the track over and over.
I’m really looking forward to the album. It may not instinctively quite be my ‘thing’, but these guys make fascinating music, so I’ll give it every chance.