Artist: Kari Rueslatten
Title: To the North
Genre: Singer-Songwriter / Folk
Release Date: 23rd October, 2015
Label: Despotz Records
Album Review
Looking back on KARI RUESLATTEN’s last album, ‘Time to Tell’, and comparing it to her latest record, ‘To the North’, her musical style has not altered that much. She keeps staying true to the genre of melancholic folk, characterized by an ethereal, sometimes light and friendly, but also gloomy atmosphere. As the album title already says, KARI RUESLATTEN takes the listener on a journey to Nordic landscapes, or rather soundscapes, though in fact this reference is due to her origin and less concerning the musical characteristics. For the music itself, it is just like another ordinary folk music album which is pleasant to listen to on a cold winter evening by the cosy fireside of a cabin in the woods.
In regard to the particular songs, the first impression coming up is that the last track ‘To the North’ would have fitted very well or even best at the very beginning of the album, not only because of its title, but mainly due to the atmosphere it creates. Here, KARI RUESLATTEN manages it extremely well to guide the listener into a mystical and magical world, with an almost hypnotic voice and minimalistic instrumentation. In my opinion, ‘To the North’ is one of the best tracks on the album, as it is a great achievement to create such a mood by using so little means.
As another one of the songs I like best, I'd like to mention ‘Three Roses In My Hand’. I have no objective criteria for that, and most people would probably say, it's pretty monotonous and with many repetitions. However, there is a small but recognizable difference between the first verse and the first time chorus and the second part, to which she adds these wonderful flute interludes and a kind of tapestry of sound in the background. Thus you get the impression of two separate parts of the song, although the instrumentation does not change a lot. Surprisingly, ‘Turn, Turn, Turn’, after listening to it a few times, has caught me as well. I guess the - indeed very wise - lyrics are the most important part in it, and the low-key instrumentation contributes to that.
The other tracks are in my opinion rather decent, of average musical quality, since they lack features which give them recognition value. Some tracks, as ‘What We Have Lost’ and ‘Letting Go’, seem incongruent in themselves, with dark and depressing parts at the beginning merging into spirits of brightness and clarity during the course of the song. Not to say anything against development – but in this case it does not seem natural and authentic. Some tracks on the current album are real gems, while others are rather easy listening. Although KARI RUESLATTEN has released an album which does not contain too many surprises, she has discovered and developed her musical style which suits her voice. In the end, perhaps this is what matters most in music business.
Tracklist
01. Battle Forevermore
02. Mary's Song
03. What We Have Lost
04. Three Roses in my Hands
05. Dance with the King
06. Letting Go
07. Arrow in my Heart
08. Turn, Turn, Turn
09. To the North
Line-up
Kari Rueslatten – vocals
Guest musicians:
Jostein Ansnes
Richard Turvey
Steve Pilgrim
Martyn Campbell
Frode Flemsæte
Mat Walklate
Website
www.karirueslatten.com
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 7
Sound: 8
Total: 7.5 / 10
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