I discovered by chance while surfing on Qobuz the latest album by 'Sivert Høyem', a Norwegian artist who is the singer of the group 'Madrugada' which had a first period until 2008 and who reformed in 2018 with the album 'Chimes at Midnight' 2022. I knew neither the group nor the singer who is also pursuing a solo career and this latest album 'On An Island' is quite special since it was recorded in a small village in the north of Norway, formerly of fishermen, 'Nyksund', which is an almost-island on the west coast and which regained artistic and tourist activity in the 1980s. The result is of intense emotional depth and each composition brings its share of melancholy, the whole being stripped down to keep only the substantive marrow.
To give you a good overview of this very beautiful album, I will start with the three titles which were the subject of a video, each one being magnificent: first of all, 'Two Green Feathers' is a filming in sumptuous black and white which at a slow tempo delicately rocks us and is a good example of this beneficial melancholy (see video above). In the same style 'Aim For The Heart', accompanied by another video showing us very beautiful images of 'Nyksund' and the Northern Lights (see here). The third video is dedicated to 'The Rust' (see here) and is the longest composition of the album in which Sivert's singing reminds me of from 'Nick Cave', deep and warm. The rest of the album is like these three tracks: 'On An Island' begins the album and introduces what will follow by plunging us directly into these guitar sounds using reverb bringing this melancholy and this sound breadth very special, 'Sivert Hoyem' accompanying very beautifully with its melodious singing. With 'When Your True Love Has Gone', the climate is catchier and the gripping melody in the form of a refrain sticks in your head for a long time once the last note has passed. As for 'The Beginning', the reverb and refined ambiance makes a return with a higher pitched vocal of 'Sivert Hoyem' which shows another side of his vocal register. After the two compositions already mentioned above, 'Aim For The Heart' and 'The Rust', 'Keepsake' is yet another melodic gem, this time in a refined atmosphere, in the form of a very beautiful vocal/acoustic guitar duo once again highlighting the serious and deep singing of Sivert, then, 'Now You See Me/Now You Don't' is another magnificent composition which progresses slowly, alternating intensities and gaining momentum to explode at the end of the title with very beautiful choirs, and 'Not Enough Light' closes the album in this melancholy atmosphere, the violin of 'Lise Voldsdal' adding a folkloric touch. And if you want to know more about the themes developed in this album, you can refer to the very interesting interview with the Norwegian on the site 'The Domino Elf'
In summary, this latest album from 'Sivert Høyem' takes us into his world full of melancholy, often synonymous with sadness or sorrow but which, in this specific case, takes on a completely different character because the Norwegian artist there adds a tremendous emotional intensity thanks to this deep song and a very special warmth which accompanies us throughout this journey in the small village of 'Nyksund'... | |
