aaamusic | On 13, Sep 2010

The very talented Silje Nes returns this week with her second album Opticks, the follow up to her 2008 debut Ames Room. From the offset, Nes establishes her own unique sound – a combination of ambience, dream pop and minimalism, at times vaguely touching upon psychedelic. A few comparable acts do spring to mind, yet although dreamy, avant-garde soundscapes aren’t exactly uncommon, when vocals do appear they’re often quite prominent rather than a whispery afterthought, giving the album a lyrical dimension that separates it somewhat from its peers. The sound itself is created through a multitude of instruments (viola, percussion, and of course synth, to name a few), as well as various sound effects and general noise (see the quietly beautiful Rewind). The album never feels overcrowded though, and it’s easy to forget that it’s mainly a product of home-recording – at no point does it sound amateur or under produced. Throughout, Nes finds just the right balance between experimentalism and melody, perhaps most prominently showcased in Levitation, a track that is essentially half and half, beginning life as slow-burn, electronic pop before foraying into a drawn out atmospheric sea of sound about halfway through. The end result is an album that’s delicate, beautiful and human. Definitely worth a listen.

Author: Katharine Sparks