Sylvaine — Eg Er Framand
Sylvaine is the solo project of Norwegian/American Kathrine Shepard, who debuted the project in 2014. This new release Eg Er Framand is her first in a couple of years, containing six tracks three- six minutes in length for an EP-sized release.
From the off, I'm immediately greeted by a regal, elegant unfolding of folkish melodies, led by the strong, pure tone of Kathrine Shepard's voice, a patient evolution of chords at a funereal tempo.
Generally, her project is tagged as 'blackgaze' or 'post black metal', and releases on the largely metal label Season Of Mist. However, this twenty-eight-minute release contains no heavy guitars, or sonic density of any kind. It is a sort of lunar folk ambient that I might compare to Lisa Gerrard or Rose McDowell's singing in Coil's releases such as "Moon's Milk". In this style, luminous, tuneful timbres present themselves in a thoughtful, considered manner over a mostly silent backdrop, the music never becoming too densely layered, and being led by the voice in every instance, with only slight soft accompaniment from other instruments, such as organ drones or faintly strummed acoustic guitar.
The 2nd piece "Arvestykker" shows Sylvaine's splendid technical knowledge and perfect intonation, as the elaborate harmony sounds like a Medieval madrigal. In general, there is a very cinematic and historical feeling to this music which would fit well in a film or documentary.
The tone is consistently melancholy, and the tempo slow, but the release does not drag, sounding spellbinding and inviting rather than stagnant, the complexity of Shepard's labyrinthine melodies and intelligent harmonies lending a depth and mysterious air to the experience. Not to mention the brief run time; it is over before one hardly has time to consider what it is.
This release is unexpected from Season of Mist, sounding more like the output of a goth/new age/ethereal label like Projekt, but it's an absolutely lovely release. It is perhaps odd that my first taste of Shepard's musical language is this incarnation, in which all the bombast has been removed, but it fits my taste, as I'm a huge fan of Dead Can Dance and other ethereal neofolk groups. Within the minimalist confines of the style found here, Sylvaine's musicianship and bold musicality are clearly visible.