Norther

Ex-Easter Island Head

2024

2.81

Rating

134

Votes

15%

24%

31%

25%

Distribution

Electronica

User Submitted Album

Album Summary

Norther is the sixth album by the English band Ex-Easter Island Head, released on 17 May 2024. It is the band's first studio album in eight years, following Twenty-Two Strings (2016). The album marks the first appearance of Andrew PM Hunt as a permanent member, who also served as its producer and mixing engineer, alongside Benjamin Duvall, Benjamin Fair, and Jonathan Hering. The album was recorded at the band's home studio The Consulate in Liverpool and released by Rocket Recordings. The album takes its title from the meteorological term norther, which refers to a cold wind from the north. It explores themes of nature, "controlled randomness," and the interaction between technologies. Musically, the band has cited influences from Rhys Chatham and Glenn Branca, known for their experimental guitar compositions, as well as minimalism and extended instrumental forms. They describe the album as incorporating both structured composition and freeform elements, drawing comparisons to the evolving dynamics of The Necks and the rhythmic precision of artists on Kompakt. Hunt described the band's creative direction, emphasising their desire to make music that is engaging and enjoyable: "It's important to us that it's accessible and fun, that it's not too cerebral." While acknowledging their influences from academic minimalism and late 20th-century avant-garde, he characterised their style as "experimental music presented as entertainment," paraphrasing Stewart Lee's description of the band. Norther received positive reviews from critics and appeared in several year-end album rankings, topping The Quietus' list and placing fourth in Loud and Quiet's. Some critics described it as the band’s strongest work to date.

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Jul 05 2025 Author

When I first heard the tinkling vibraphone come in I was dreading a long, frustrating contemporary art piece. Once the thrumming bass line appeared, I realized this was a more concentrated attempt at making experimental music that wasn’t just bland ambient. Loved how creative and expressive this LP managed to be with a minimal toolset, crafting novel sounds out of familiar synths and showing some heavy artistic depth. I let the suggested tracks run for a few hours after this album concluded and felt pretty immersed in a genre l usually shunned, so thanks for the opening the door to some awesome new (to me) music

Jul 04 2025 Author

After reading up on this, how I would feel about it was a real coin toss. Terms like avant garde and experimental can be harbingers that you're about to get a whacked with the Art stick. But I ended up liking this pretty well. For me reminiscent of some aspects of Laurie Anderson, Brian Eno, Meredith Monk - not bad company in my book. The very analog starting point of the sound gave it some interesting texture in a genre that tends these days to the pure electronica. A little on the fence on the score as I didn't feel like it all held up - never offensive but some of it just faded into the background - but I'll slip it an extra, possibly over-generous point just for being a real lft field inclusion.

Jul 04 2025 Author

Accessible experimental music. Relaxing to listen to

Jul 06 2025 Author

I never heard of Ex-Easter Island Head before, but this is a nice addition to the user list. Minimal electronica with a lot of songs with sounds that are slightly off-tone and/or off-beat. Songs like Easter make you irritated and interested at the same time.

Jul 04 2025 Author

Oh hey I like this very much

Jul 28 2025 Author

I was prepped to be disappointed by this since I've found the ambient albums have done poorly for me here but this kinda worked. I wouldn't say it's essential listening, but the last track worked for me. My personal rating: 3/5 My rating relative to the list: 3.5/5 Should this have been included on the original list? No.

Jul 04 2025 Author

Eno-adjacent with a bit more of a beat.

Jul 06 2025 Author

Wow this was fantastic! Catchy, experimental in a very accessible way… I loved it.

Aug 25 2025 Author

Jesus this is so fucking good. Why have I not heard of it.

Jul 04 2025 Author

This chill album reminds me a lot of The Field

Jul 05 2025 Author

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Norther, Magnetic language

Jul 06 2025 Author

Reminds me of K. K. Slider in Animal Crossing.

Jul 10 2025 Author

Listened to this a few times & enjoyed it. Weather especially moved me. I was motivated to listen during some stormy summer weather & I def recommend that vibe

Aug 23 2025 Author

Album art and album both quite nice.

Sep 06 2025 Author

Actually already listened to this as part of The Quietus' top 100 albums of 2024. But I listened again and I liked it again.

Sep 21 2025 Author

Wonderful textures, sat just right today

Oct 02 2025 Author

This is the kind of album this list is made for - finding those niche-genre pearls of amazing that may have sailed by unnoticed. I’m particularly heartened to see how recently this one passed me by unheard-of until this morning. I loved the overlapping use of rhythmic strings to mesmerising effect. I think I’m going to be listing the title track as a major entry to my end-of-the-year playlist. What an excellent submission.

Jul 06 2025 Author

I thought this might be a good one in the car with my 83-year-old mother, as she generally likes ambient instrumental music. Her take was that at least one track sounded like a cat walking on a keyboard. I liked it more than than that, but I probably appreciated the description of the recording techniques involved rather than the listening itself.

Aug 30 2025 Author

Interesting record. Enjoyed it enough.

Sep 17 2025 Author

Relaxing

Jul 05 2025 Author

kept waiting for it to start.. .and waiting and waiting

Aug 19 2025 Author

Yep, this is pretty good. Can get behind this.

Nov 11 2025 Author

9/10 a very diverse album that warms you up with some calming ambience before sending you through a lovely variety of other sounds

Nov 13 2025 Author

those guitars tinkle, over thumps and drones, their bells swinging in the breeze ---- 4.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 5. 9.5/10 for more general purposes (5 + 4.5) ---- Number of albums from the original list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 465 Albums from the original list I *might* include in mine later on: 288 Albums from the original list I won't include in mine: 336 ----- Number of albums from the users list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 56 Albums from the users list I *might* select for mine later on: 75 (including this one) Albums from the users list I won't select for mine: 134 --- Émile. Ça y est, j'ai *enfin* répondu (en deux temps). Tu trouveras ça sous les reviews des disques de Blackalicious et Alexisonfire au dessus.

Jul 06 2025 Author

Excellent from the 2nd track on. Beautiful album artwork

Oct 29 2025 Author

I began this listening session with an appreciation for the courage to include a recent album in the list of "essentials." I believe that a certain amount of time is necessary to truly define an album as a must-listen. However, after finishing it, I can understand why this album might deserve a spot on the list? Although I'm not particularly into electronic and ambient music, I found that this album captures the spirit of the early years of this decade. I might be feeling overly optimistic today, and the mood may influence my perception of the music, but I am giving it a 4-star rating.

Jul 04 2025 Author

Minimalism, ambient, experimental. Ni fu ni fa.

Jul 04 2025 Author

Chill beans

Jul 06 2025 Author

good music while working in high focus

Jul 06 2025 Author

A bit repetitive and weird. 3/5.

Jul 17 2025 Author

Intellectually, I found this to be an interesting enough listen. But I think it lacks a certain warmth that it really needs to be effective. I don't really feel a thing when I listen to this. Fave Songs: Weather, Easter, Norther

Jul 30 2025 Author

I like electronics but there is better

Aug 17 2025 Author

A pleasant easy to listen to album that is an easy 3/5.

Nov 03 2025 Author

Sometimes the music is just right for the situation. I took the train this morning and this ambient music was perfect for that early morning train ride. Not to mention we just got hit with a winter polar vortex, the first three songs Weather, Norther, and Easter seemed on point (polar vortex not the same as a Nor'Easter but close enough). This album is great background music and today it was more needed. I'm not going to go out and give it a 4 or 5 star rating, but I quite enjoyed it and they do a good job with what they do.

Jul 04 2025 Author

A bit heavy on the wind chime it seems. Overall this classical/ambient album is a pretty laid back album that is decent background music and can be reading. It was somewhat cohesive but a few songs felt disjointed overall. It’s an interesting concept and unique overall but nothing I’d revisit again. 5.3/10

Jul 04 2025 Author

Its really cool to get something different in the list and i was certainly a bit intrigued by this, something in the classical / ambient genre. A track like Norther is pretty strong as it seems to have a force and a drive and is generally pretty interesting. Though most of the album seems to have a lot less appeal, whether the wind chimes or easter or other less successful experiments.

Jul 09 2025 Author

Are we running out of band names? Sounds like music for a documentary about fish. Treads a very fine line between "experimental music made accessible" and "experimental music made boring". Over all, nothing wrong with it, but I don't think I'd ever listen to this again when there's so many albums that do this sound but without holding back.

Jul 15 2025 Author

Na sorry this one just gave me a sore head.

Aug 11 2025 Author

Like ringtones became full songs, that are too long

Aug 21 2025 Author

Norther is alright background music that only grabbed my attention during the title track and the closing track. Dunno if that says anything about the record or my interest in it, but ambient music doesn't do anything for me other than exist or annoy, this lands in the former category, so that's a win for it I guess. 2/5, but I guess someone adores this?

Sep 18 2025 Author

Is an Ex-Easter Island Head and Easter Island Head that is no longer on Easter Island? If so, I'd rather listen to Dum-Dum sing about his gum-gum.

Sep 19 2025 Author

Its genre is classical? Ok.

Nov 03 2025 Author

All I kept thinking when I heard this was: "FOUR guys were needed to make this?" I mean, sure, maybe live they need four. But I don't see how this could not have been easily done buy one person. The worst was "Magnetic Language," which sounded like dogs playing with squeaky toys. Nope, sorry I did not get this. NEXT.

Nov 20 2025 Author

I don't prefer this. At least it was short. It's kind of a higher quality version of the alarm on my phone. A little more moody.

Jul 05 2025 Author

Somehow just really annoying 1

Jul 20 2025 Author

Too experimental and disturbing

Aug 08 2025 Author

I’ve been invited to an “art happening” at the old fruit market, which has now been gentrified into a hip gallery space. I arrive half way through my acquaintance’s set. He’s hunched over a laptop with far more midi devices than can possibly be useful. The picnic table he’s set up on is far too low. Behind him, low-res flowers bloom in time lapse. It’s been poorly keystoned and apparently pays no heed to the changes in music. Between songs, I hold my room temperature stubby between my teeth and give my obligatory applause. That is a much enthusiasm I can muster for this boring dross, without the free beer, would you even bother?

Oct 13 2025 Author

Lyrics please!