Sylvaine has quietly crept upon the underground music community building her reputation on solid musicianship and jaw dropping live performances. ‘Nova’ is the Norwegian vocalist and multi instrumentalist’s 4th album and it is a real gem. Built around Kathrine’s impressive vocal talents, ‘Nova’ is a fully immersive post black gaze experience.
The album opens with the title track which is built around a delicate, stand-alone solo vocal line before being joined by ethereal, gentle instrumentation. This really shows of Sylvaine’s vocal prowess. It is intriguing and deeply atmospheric, almost translucent in its delicacy.
In direct contrast, ‘Mono No Aware’ opens with a howling venomous black metal outburst before being tempered by soothing melodic vocals transposed over the top. Sublime melody permeates the maelstrom generating a mastery of post black gaze as the styles build complementing and yet contrasting with each other giving the sense of inner demons pulling in different directions for almost ten minutes.
By way of respite, ‘Nowhere, Still Somewhere’ opens with haunting vocals which build into a lush, dreamy soundscape enveloping the listener. This is relatively short at four and half mins and in some respects feels like an interlude compared to the other tracks.
Keeping the more serene atmosphere, at least initially, ‘Fortapt’ feels like a gentle breeze on a summer’s afternoon inviting contemplation with clean, evocative vocals. Whereas previous clean vocals have sounded delicate and vulnerable, here they sound assured and powerful.
The track builds with the instrumentation becoming more prominent and the vocals become harsh, almost howling before the track drops back to clean vocals and delicate sublime melody. This keeps swinging back and forth and despite being almost 12 mins long things never becomes boring or repetitive. The title is apt (translates to ‘Lost’) as the track feels like a lost soul swinging between calm and panic.
‘I Close My Eyes So I Can See’ keeps the momentum going, initially with clean vocals but as the track builds, Sylvaine shows her vocal range, effortlessly switching from high notes to growls and howls.
There is a more personal, almost harrowing feel on ‘Everything Must Come To An End’ which is a sorrowful expression of emotion portrayed through delicate vocals and subtle instrumentation.
Bonus track, ‘Dissolution’ brings the album to a close with a subtle prog feel to some of the music but as the track builds, this begins to feel dense and almost monolithic. Once more beautiful, delicate clean vox are the centre piece and transfix the listener from start to finish.
Sylvaine’s ever growing reputation is thoroughly deserved and if there is any justice, this album will propel her even further. If atmospheric metal, black metal, post metal or shoe gaze are your thing, you should definitely give this a listen, and if you get the chance to catch her live, make sure you take the opportunity.
(9/10 Andy Pountney)
Leave a Reply