VINTER

It was only since September 2017 that I discovered Jordsjø, which is perhaps the finest prog act I have ever heard in a long time. As a bonus, I found out about Breidablik exactly the same time as Jordsjø released a split cassette with Breidablik called Songs from the Northern Wasteland. It shouldn't take much to figure out where they got that title from. In case you didn't, it's Michael Hoenig's Departure from the Northern Wasteland. That cassette even used the same Tangerine Dream typefont used on some of their album like Atem and Rubycon. Anyways Breidablik is quite different from Jordsjø, instead of '70s style symphonic prog, you get full-on Berlin School-influenced electronic music. Admittedly that Breidablik influence occasionally has itself felt on Jordsjø, like "Under Aurora B", "Fugløkallen" and "Postludium", but generally the music sticks with symphonic prog. Breidblik is a one-man project lead by Morten Birkeland Nielsen. He uses different types of analog and analog modelling synths. Vinter is the first release that's entirely by Breidablik, released on limited edition cassette and download. While the influence of Tangerine Dream and Schulze are felt, it has a sound all its own. Sequencers tend to be more midpaced, they don't go into Ricochet-style overdrive. There are plenty of more ambient moments that get me thinking of the vast rocky terrain of northern Norway. Morten certainly done it right the first time, and I can see him/Birkeland to be a force to be reckoned with in the electronic music world. This is a great cassette really worth your time!