Album Review: Kilden

By H. Murray. Published June 14, 2023

In 2021 we published a review of the hauntingly beautiful self-titled album by Norwegian band Østerlide. It was haunting. Captivating in the way that staring out the window at fresh snow on a cold but cozy day can be. The album was one I returned to often after the review was published, and I often found myself sharing it with friends and colleagues.

Imagine how excited I was to receive a copy of Østerlide’s latest album, Kilden, released on March 31, 2023. So much of what I love about the first album is alive and well in this release, the vocal stylings, the haunting bareness in the sound, the folkloric conjuring of feelings, but this time mixed with attitude. There’s more rock in this album. You can hear more musical influences, additional instruments, and electronics. It feels like the band is experimenting with their sound. The guitars are more present, drums are sometimes in the foreground of the audio experience, and the album drives it forward in a way Osterlide simply floated.

Every time I listen to this album, I’m drawn to the timeless quality of Ulvik’s voice. It drifts and flits effortlessly, completely unmoored. It’s ethereal, light, captivating, and moves unexpectedly. The heaviness of the instrumentals on Kilden sometimes serves as an anchor and, sometimes, a countertheme. The dissonance between them brings an extra dimension to the music, and the parts often seem so radically unrelated that you feel like you’re being led down two rabbit holes simultaneously. It feels like a musical drama, acted out by each force. Are they warring? Are they supporting each other? Who is winning?

Sonically, the album has significant peaks and valleys. There are moments of utter calm and peace. The texture is simple, Ulvik’s vocals are the focus, and then, sometimes rapidly, and sometimes over the course of a few songs, angst will enter the landscape, the instruments get louder, the emotional state of the music heats up, there’s more turmoil and less resolution. It’s unsettling in the way that your favorite critically acclaimed film is – it’s unsettling, but you love it.

Kilden, the title track, might be my favorite. It feels like Ulvik is leading the listener into a haunted woods that open up to a group of traveling musicians (the opening of Kveitevisa, the following track). Harpo, the last song on the album, contains a journey in itself. It’s like the end of a fairy tale. One with a little menace. As if the prince and princess didn’t live happily ever after. Like there’s a slight foreshadowing of a storm brewing left for the listener to ponder.

You can find Kilden on all major streaming platforms and available for sale from the artist’s website.

Have you listened to it? Tell us what you think!