Skip to content
Elly Roberts reviews
Fat Cat
- January 2008
- Rating: 4/10
Lo-fi experimental quirkiness, from the land of Vikings.
Norwegian performer and composer Silje Nes writes cute, weird songs.
This gorgeous Scandinavian blonde is also a multi-instrumentalist, so shesquite an empowered babe prepared to do things her way, even if its a bitquirky and very experimental at times. Much of Ames Room is offthe UKs pop radar, but worth checking out.
Her mix of sweet vocals and eccentricity make it a fascinating listen. Becauseof her instrumental talents, Siljes gone for some seriously charming off thewall audio experiences that ultimately wont appeal to everyone. Perhaps itsgreatest attraction by the Bergen-based artist is the childlike naivety thatpermeates throughout the entire album, which is a strange move for someone whostudied classical piano for many years.
This collection sees her tackling instruments shed never played before with therecordings done on a four track home recorder, hence the lo-fi outcome. It openswith clunking vibraphone and vocal musings that run for just over two minutesof Over All.
On atmospheric Drown, things become more conventional with Nes gently pickingan acoustic guitar, followed by mashed-up sonics and guitar for the ramblingShapes Electric, which is sort of repeated on Long Shadows.Sometimes you wish shed just get on with the songs instead of being consumed bythe audio extras, or in some cases, distractions.
A proper song finally emerges Bright Night Morning, and its simplestuff. An understated drum beat, acoustic guitar, lightweight vocal and what appearsto be a violin ghosting in the background. Closing the album shes gone for awandering instrumental, No Bird Can.
To make a greater impact, Nes should have cut many of these songs out. Suckit and see for yourselves.
File under: Interesting, if you can slog it out.
Weblinks:myspace.com/siljenes /fat-cat.co.uk
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Over All
2. Drown
3. Shapes, Electric
4. Ames Room
5. Giant Disguise
6. Dizzy Street
7. Long Shadows Left Around
8. Bright Night Morning
9. Recurring Dream
10. Searching, White
11. Magnetic Moments Of Spring Objects
12. Melt
13. Escape
14. No Bird Can
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.