Review Summary: Caught when the avalanche strikes.
Atmosphere and post-rock practically go hand-in-hand, like puppies and happiness, or big businesses and insincerity. When one listens to their first post-rock album, it quickly becomes apparent why the genre has such appeal. Many groups seek to achieve their own flowful passages, be it through melodic gravitas, sheer experimentation, or some combination of both. It is the music that commonly springs to mind when searching for a backdrop during those long and still moments in life, the ideal companion for a loner walking in the brisk cold at night. And yet, one’s atmosphere of thought, feeling and wonder can just as easily be another person’s atmosphere of mundanity. Almost every genre of music can be accused of a certain level of “sameness” from song to song, and post-rock is oftentimes a magnet for such criticisms. After all, there are only so many times any given person can hear the same ambient notes progressing into another, slightly varied, series of ambient notes. Thus, genre fatigue creeps in, with post-rock being one of the faster-working examples.
That being said, let’s discuss Noorvik, a German band (and album, in this case) who take their name from a city in Alaska. The most initial impression Noorvik instills is comfortable familiarity, inviting us with an oft-experienced, easygoing minimalism. Guitars calmly lead the fray with welcoming desolation--sincere and unassuming. However, as soon as this familiarity takes hold, Noorvik swiftly shift things up; the tempo is raised and instruments come to life with distorted urgency--the bass finds a tangible groove and drums help puncture the soundscape, only to just as quickly recede and leave us with two emotional responses: excitement and anticipation. We’re enticed by this short-lived rush not just because it comes so abruptly, but because, as it fades out, we know it will return in some capacity, the only question is when and with what severity. How the cycle plays out is what gets us intrigued, and soon becomes what keeps us invested. Thus, we have the stylistic crux for this fresh instrumental outfit.
As their debut continues to play out, the sense of waiting with bated breath becomes increasingly apparent, with each escalation further building the power play. Indeed, one’s first listen will see them embark on a path that could be described as turbulent were it not so discreet. The constant play of calms before and after the storm is clearly deliberate, and if the album art is any reassurance, then
Noorvik is one that both warns and calls upon a coming avalanche. Blackened trees already impart an ominous tone, yet they are ironically overshadowed by the sheer volume of snow on a massive, towering mountain. Like the music on display, it’s only a matter of time before something gives way and the pending snow unfurls over what was once so still. This dynamic is integral to
Noorvik; the contrast of metallic highs with lush melodies and occasional grooves for good measure. Though we have a desire to become accustomed to the slower, more scenic moments, there’s just as much to feel when overcome by the hard-hitting sections. The experience is less of an assault and more of a perpetual standstill, the time we’re struck by oncoming forces converging at once while we remain, practically comatose, to endure it.
Noorvik seemingly have no inhibitions about what they want to accomplish: a cold, sensational album that plays with our expectations. This leads to something that feels just as delicate as it is unapologetic. They bring direction and definition together in a way that many bands struggle to achieve, much less with any sense of mastery, however fleeting. In any case,
Noorvik is an excellent album that readily sets the bar high for post-rock in 2018. Post-rock fans are definitely encouraged to seek this album out, and even less enthused listeners may find just enough stretches sprinkled within to make the entire affair worthwhile.
