There’s nothing I enjoy more than a solid Nordic noir. The scenery is a postcard picturesque, accented by images of snow, ice floes and fjords. Summer features days that stretch long into night, while winter crunches the sun into slivers that share the sky with silver stars. Everyone, and I mean everyone, speaks Norwegian, Swedish and English, Danish, too. Quirky characters abound. Not everyone has a secret, but those that do—they’re the heroes of the piece. They’re flawed yet driven, intent on unraveling the mystery.
Sculptures From Under the City Ice isn’t a multi-layered mystery, of course, but it’s eccentric, fun and—to give away the ending—enthralling. Christian Winther is a well-regarded guitarist within the Norwegian avant-garde scene; he’s played with an array of bands, both mainstream and not, through the years. This, his third solo endeavor, was helmed by noted producer Lasse Marhaug, and features Lars Ove Fossheim on additional guitar, his partner Anja Lauvdal on synths, Magnus Skavhaug Nergaard on bass, and Hans Hulbækmo on drums and vibraphone.
The seven-song set opens with the collision of present and past in the impressionistic “Underwater Child,” which finds noise and jazz circling around one another with wary glances while buried memories percolate to the fore: “Weather as a breath/on a sleeping memory/of diving down/chlorine in young eyes.” It’s an evocative mood piece. The same is true of the title track, which follows; it’s an eight-minute piece that chips away at the city ice to reveal both the beauty and ugliness that lies beneath. It reminds me, in some respects, of the John Cale-era Velvet Underground.
“Following Time,” for its part, focuses on the internal clock that is the heart; Winther’s noisy guitar wells up and pushes ashore much like waves of love—or is that fear? Either/or, it’s remarkable. “Monochrome” is akin to the remnants of an incoherent dream floating forth when one wakes. Though he’s in a more articulate mood, “Headspace,” too, conveys a similar feel. The gentle “Dark Blue,” on the other hand, finds him entranced by the mystery and majesty of the night sky. “Forsvinner,” which is sung in Norwegian, closes the album with a drifting guitar that gradually transforms into a fuzzy dreamscape; it ably captures the moment when we disappear into sleep.
I hasten to add that Sculptures From Under the City Ice is not for everyone; those who prefer high-octane pop and/or rock that borrows from the classic guidebook will likely be bored. But for those who enjoy existential excursions, this is a compelling set that holds up to repeated listens. Highly recommended.
The Old Grey Cat 
6 thoughts