Jordsjo - Jord

Bitrate: 320K/s
Year: 2017
Time: 37:45
Size: 87,7 MB
Label: Self Released
Styles: Progressive Rock/Progressive Folk
Art: Front

Tracks Listing:
 1. Over Vidda - 1:47
 2. Abstraksjoner Fra Et Dunkelt Kammer - 6:49
 3. Finske Skoger - 2:56
 4. Jord I - 6:24
 5. Jord II - 8:26
 6. La Meg Forsvinne! - 6:37
 7. Postludium - 4:41

Jordsjo are a relatively new band out of Norway and this is studio album number three for these guys although they also have a split album with another band which is apparently more in the Electronic realm of things. The Anglagard influence is obvious with a symphonic Prog/Folk Rock style. The songs are well crafted with gorgeous melodies displayed around the flute, the delicate guitar lines, and the keyboards.
While the self-entitled double LP collected almost everything from their first three cassettes, it's no surprise that Jord, their third full release (or fourth, if you include Songs from the Northern Wasteland, a split with Breidablik) wasn't covered, but I hope this one doesn't languish in Bandcamp obscurity. Jordsjo is much too good for that, and besides they now have a deal with Karisma Records, so hopefully that would change things. Perhaps in the future I'll see their name in places like The Laser's Edge and Wayside Music. But for now... Jord only proves that Jordsjo is no fluke. "Over Vidda" starts off eerily sounding with eerie sound wailing sounds and synths, before jumping into the first actual song, "Abstraksjoner fra et Dunkelt Kammer". Right away, it's pretty obvious the music brings to mind the likes of Anglagard, Wobbler, and Tusmorke (in fact Hakon Oftung, the main man behind Jordsjo is currently in Tusmorke). "Finske Skoger" has that nice flute playing in a symphonic prog manner. The two part title track features a lot of Anglagard moves, but also plenty of vocals as well. Lots of the usual vintage keys here, Hammond organ, vintage synths, Mellotron (or modern equivalents, although Hakon uses a real Solina String Ensemble). "La Meg Forsvinnel" is very similar to "Solina, Min Dronning", in that the Solina String Ensemble is quite dominant and the music bringing to mind late '70s German space symphonic prog like Sommerabend-era Novalis or Ocean-era Eloy, with some ELP moves as well. "Postludium" is a jump into electronic music, in the Breidablik vein. In this case I keep thinking Morten Birkeland Nielsen, the man behind Breidablik accidentally left one of his recordings on this album, but he's not credited (but thanked in the credits). I love these short electronic pieces Hakon would occasionally put on (such as "Fugloykallen" or the end part of "Under Aurora B"). I could imagine him doing an electronic side project. Or record alongside Morten Birkeland Nielsen. This is great stuff I can recommend. I especially recommend this to those who don't feel Spock's Beard, the Flower Kings and Marillion are what the best prog has to offer.

Jord