THE BOOK OF HOURS

This album delivers a unified sound from start to finish, immersing the listener in an almost dream-like state of mind. Well done. Norwegian multi-instrumentalist Kay Olsen's debut as Agropelter is an hour-long masterclass in cohesion and restraint.

Memorable melodies and tasteful shifts in atmosphere make the listening experience captivating from beginning to end. While the arrangements and performances are of impressive calibre, the foundation rests on simple, enduring melodies and transitions?hooks that stay with you long after the music stops. The soundscape often evokes a sense of nostalgia, recalling timeless classics you may have loved before. Take, for example, the motif at 1:46 in The Book of Hours Pt. II, wrapped in a "Suspiria-like" dreamscape, or the transition at 2:44 in Levitator, which could make even John Petrucci of Dream Theater sound revitalized. Rather than drowning the listener in novelty or experimental excess, Mr. Olsen keeps the core melodies front and center, weaving them into a narrative that elevates familiar sounds and emotions in a unified, deceptively simple way?a rare skill.

The opening track, Flute of Peril, feels like a human-touch dialogue between flute and guitar (a beautifully simple concept, superbly mixed) that blossoms into a Terje Rypdal-style atmosphere?complete with the soon-to-be-lost art of volume-pedal swells. My personal favorite is Burial Mound, for its pure simplicity. The piece genuinely captures the atmosphere of its title, with weeping melodies and fluid transitions, while the fretless bass speaks so softly that you stop thinking and simply absorb the moment.

Throughout the record, it's clear the man behind the music is first and foremost a guitarist?though a gifted multi- instrumentalist?yet he gives his collaborators plenty of space to shine. Rather than filling every corner himself, he allows the arrangements to breathe, from the organic, expressive drumming to bursts of nostalgic, high-energy guitar. Best of all, over the course of nearly an hour, the album never once feels tiring.

With The Book of Hours, Agropelter has crafted not just an impressive debut, but a rare example of prog that is both technically refined and emotionally direct. A brilliant start from an artist clearly here to stay.

Brilliant work on your debut, Agropelter. I look forward to hearing more.

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