Silje Nes
Country of origin:
Norway
Type of music generally:
Experimental electronic alt pop
Status:
Most recent release, "Mirrored / Mirror" (7", 2013); most recent full-length release, Opticks (2010)
See also:
Silje Nes's site
Comparisons:
Hanne Hukkelberg, Stina Nordenstam, Anja Garbarek
Covers/own material:
Own, occasionally co-writing
General comments:
Odd, experimental soundscapes with whispery vocals. (Neile)
Recommended first album:
Ames Room is all we've heard
Recordings:
- Ames Room (2007)
- Yellow (EP, 2008)
- Opticks (2010)
- Mirrored / Mirror (7", 2013)
Ames Room
Release info:
2007—Fat Cat Records—Fat-SP16
Availability:
Wide in U.S.
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended for fans of experimental pop
Group members:
Silje Nes—vocals and instruments
Comments:
Drifty dreamy atmospheric, fully of intriguing noise both electronic and instrument-based and bits of floating hooks. "Drown" seems a particularly a propos title for the second track: that's what you do listening to these songs, drift and float and before you know it you're in way over your head and lost in this new world. There's a charming DIY sense to this as well. I do agree that that songs aren't particularly distinct, though. (Neile)I'd say her debut, Ames Room, is quite similar to Colleen's first outing though Ames Room is folktronica and Silje Nes is singing in a fairly high-pitched voice on it earning her several comparisons to fellow Norwegians Stina Nordenstam and Hanne Hukkelberg. However, Colleen and Silje Nes are both one-woman bands and both create their music using laptops, guitar, synth, piano, und so weiter. Also, Silje Nes incorporates a wide range of strange sound effects and her singing seems more like yet another sound effect than actual words. I really like that aspect of her music, but I do find Colleen's outings more varied than this. Actually, Ames Room goes on and on and halfway through the songs start to sound alike as if she's reusing the same four or five melodies. Quite a shame. Had she made a tighter set of songs this would definitely have been up there with Colleen. (christina_skov@hotmail.com)
