SHADOWS OF THE SUN

I had no prior experience hearing Ulver prior to this CD. The word about it is spreading rapidly like a precious secret gem. This Norwegian outfit ekes out a sparse, minimal sound almost on the order of early Dead Can Dance or even Black Tape For a Blue Girl. This is post-rock in its extreme. Riverside sometimes touches on the raw, simple beauty that this group achieves on this disc from track to track.

"Like Music" almost harkens memories of New Age pianist Wim Mertens: simplified beauty and elegant melody to break your heart. This is music that uplifts through melancholy, inspires through thoughtfulness, and astonishes through raw beauty. This is not music for everybody, and from what I've read, the band's prior releases harken a far cry from release to release. Still, the songwriting and subtley skilled musicianship is enough to satisfy even the most hardened appetite.

Don't walk......[I]run!!![/I] to your music store and get this one. There are few artists this capable, this astonishing.