Norse EP

The master of myth and melancholia returns, bearing the second instalment to his EP trilogy, Norse, a collection of four tracks as choppy as the North Sea.
Matt Howden is no stranger to travel. A well-known figure in experimental music scenes across Europe and beyond, this one-man band, equipped with violin and his bag of tricks, has a domination of sound worthy of an epic tale by itself.

Where to begin? 'Old Magic' takes us back into the dark history of humankind, yet reminds us that we are just the same as they were. Kindling messages of inner forces which were once yoked and harnessed by them now wait for us to relearn their mysteries. A heavy stroke of the strings echoed over variations of itself, wooden taps like distant drums, and melodies reminiscent of the hills carry us into this realm of the far north.

'Loki 2015' and 'Loki Rides Again' sandwich 'Ready For Rebellion' like a black curtain pulled either side. The meat, the bit we have to chew, warns us of the threat of change at any time. Once we accept the certainty of rebellion, and with it change, we begin to understand the forces that Loki himself represents. The two pieces dedicated to this dark lord of legend stand powerful and enchanting in a realm of smoke and mirrors. They draw us into an auditory illusion that is well known within the pages of old books. The portal to the realm of the Norse is open.

Rowan Blair Colver