A barren, dark, and cold period is at our doorstep, music is needed, something that reflects the present time in a bizarre world like this. "Maa Antaa Yön Vaientaa" (“Land Lets the Night Grow Silent”), the latest musical piece from the Finnish experimental post-rock extravaganza HORTE, is a dark and mesmerizing journey that is best consumed in one sitting with headphones and closed eyes so you won't miss a thing. This is music that fits in right now during this period before the snow starts to fall, it's magical and sad at the same time. That we as humans adapt to life no matter what is going on, pandemic, weather, or other misery, is one of our strengths, and to get that strength is music.
They mix widely from a dreamy electronic soundscape with some cleaver nordic psychedelic inputs to some trippy far outs where the female vocals are sung in the native language "Finish" and in this case almost gets transformed to an instrument. Even if a partly understand some finish I do struggle with this. So here she is an instrument and it fits so great in this atmosphere. Their approach to making music is also quite unique – they go about collecting field recordings first and then try to arrange the music around these recordings instead of first writing the songs and then trying to find the fitting field recording. They then work with the songs for as long as necessary which implies that some of the tracks on "Maa Antaa Yön Vaientaa" might have taken longer and are older than assumed.
From the manipulated and melancholy "Pelko Karistaa Järjen" ("Fear Sheds Reason"), dreamy and deep "Ilman Nurkka" ("Without Corner"), the beautiful and emotional piece "Kilpemme" ("We Are Shielding") to the minimalistic "Valoa On Liikaa" ("There Is Too Much Light") to some more eruptions and noisy feedback-orgy like songs as "Väisty Tieltä" ("Give Way"), "Kun Joki Haihtuu" ("When The River Evaporates") and thee album closes up with a cold echo prayer "Konttaa, Ne Konttaa II" ("Contain, Those Contain II"). HORTE really serve us an sonic reverie and dark and mesmerizing journey.
“If you stare long enough into the abyss, the abyss will also stare back into you”, Nietzsche found. It is this existential experience that is the brooding essence of "Maa Antaa Yön Vaientaa". Every musical idea is based essentially on emotional dispositions, which unravel as the idea is sketched, developed, then thrust into the abyss... only to echo back and find bleak resonance within the very heart that initially gave birth to it. Listening to these echoes is deeply cathartic, and an integral part of the HORTE experience.
"Maa Antaa Yön Vaientaa" was recorded by the band at their homes and at Tonehaven Studio in Lievestuore, Finland. As an outside observer, Juho Vanhanen (ORANSSI PAZUZU) worked with HORTE on the production. The album was mixed by Saku Tamminen (SINK, DARK BUDDHA RISING). The album was released on August 27, 2021 via Pelagic Records
Sum: A great album to play when the degres aree closing zero.
More info @
Official Horte Bandcamp
Listen to ”Horte - Väisty Tieltä" on Spotify!
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