Norther

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

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.

Accessible experimental music. Relaxing to listen to

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.

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

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

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.

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.

Wonderful textures, sat just right today

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

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.

Oh hey I like this very much

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.

Ehhh... not my thing

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.

Just fantastic – did not know this band but really appreciate the tip, recommender. Major Steve Reich and Laraaji vibes – right up one's alley. Modulated yet intense, contemplative but engagingly energetic; intriguingly complex and intellectually robust, but still listenable and even pleasant. This is music discovery at its most serendipitously significant – heard under perfect conditions (right place, right time), one will be listeniing quite a bit more in the future, it's clear. It's almost too distinctive for list proper (there aren't enough comps to replace), but obviously it's vastly superior (and on multiple dimensions) to scores (perhaps hundreds) of records, starting with he forgettable electronica/club/house and/or hyper pop and/or metal. Thanks again, recommender – great work here!

Very much my jam. Was familiar with this album, but happy to spend more time with it! Fave tracks - "Easter" for the gamelan sound, "Magnetic Language" for the chopped and looped vocal fragments.

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.

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

Eno-adjacent with a bit more of a beat.

I see what they're saying about trying to make "entertaining" ambient. It's very upbeat and actually catchy much of the time, while still maintaining a solid ambient vibe. Very interesting stuff.

I don't know if this is good, but I really enjoyed it. It's like an entire album of intros to Pink Floyd songs.

A good ambient album which is a great change of pace from what this user list leans hard towards.

Album art and album both quite nice.

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

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

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

This chill album reminds me a lot of The Field

Not too bad, but not much more then good background music. Very minimalistic and pleasant.

Very interesting, very quiet! Standout for me is Easter, not just because it's Easter! Only a 3 though, not rushing back to this one. Faves: Easter

Ambient music. Crazy how much this pops up. Hard to assess

I like stuff like this. At the end of the day I'd rather chill to this than generic rock bands

Nonsense, but entertaining nonsense

Hits an interesting energy level. It's busier than most ambient out there, but not nearly as frenetic as most english electronica seems to aim for

Relaxing

Interesting record. Enjoyed it enough.

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.

so forgettable i've already forgotten most of its ambient atmospheric gyrations.

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.

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?

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

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?

Too experimental and disturbing

Somehow just really annoying 1

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

4.1 Yes, very good. I went through an electronica phase in the late 2010's which sounded very similar to this. Nathan Fake, James Holden, etc. First track felt like if Kieran Hebden and Steve Reich had a baby, and I'm all here for it. Last track was a belter, great atmosphere, very Bing & Ruth. Won't be everyone's cup of tea, but it was a bit of mine. Good rec.

Excellent from the 2nd track on. Beautiful album artwork

Album #24 (1001 challenge extended): "Norther" by Ex-Easter Island Head (2024) "Norther" is the sixth album by English experimental music band Ex-Easter Island Head. Minimalism, ambient and experimental are the Wiki-listed genres. It was the first appearance of Andrew PM Hunt as a permanent bandmember and he was also the producer and mixing engineer for the album. The album title is based the meteorological term for the cold wind from the north. The instrumental music incorporated both structural compositions and free-form elements. Besides Hunt, bandmembers included Benjamin D. Duvall, Benjamin Fair and Jonathan Hering. All members are credited with playing guitars, percussion, synthesizers and gadgets. The album received positive albums. "Weather" opens the album with a sound created by a cellphone recording of haptic motors running over guitars strings. Haptic motor equals a gadget. The song builds and gets louder with percussions and layered synths added. The song is a conceptualization of a weather system. The self-titled "Norther" used a recording of an actual norther on an aeolian harp. A bubbly danceable synth melody. Percussion and bells. A compelling song. "Magnetic Bridges" begins with a shimmering guitar strikes and ticking percussion. Then we get the sound of voices amplified through guitar pick-ups. Experimental indeed! This is an all instrumental album. Melodies created from unique sources as well as synths. There's layers of percussion but nothing is too busy. The minimalist descriptor is apt. There is a chill and ambient vibe. A good album to six back and relax. The album reminded me of Tortoise whom I am a fan. This is a very decent album and I recommend it for anyone who likes ambient or chill music. 3.5 out of 5

Minimalism, ambient, experimental. Ni fu ni fa.

Fine in the background, I suppose.

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

I like electronics but there is better

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

A bit repetitive and weird. 3/5.

good music while working in high focus

Not quite sure what to make of this one. It’s not annoying, not awful—just… politely present. Perfect as work background music, never demanding attention. But therein lies the rub: it’s so unobtrusive that it barely exists, doing its thing without leaving a mark. I’d rather have music that grips me, shakes me, or at least pokes an emotional nerve. Ah well.

Chill beans

Minimalism, ambient, experimental. Ni fu ni fa.

My single thought for the first twenty minutes was "when will it start..."I fear and feel that the music was not nearly interesting enough to have no lyrics or anything. As my dad said it's perfect elevator music. Because it was painfully boring. I mean I don't have anything against it but it was a little angering that nothing was happening.

Its genre is classical? Ok.

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.

Like ringtones became full songs, that are too long

Na sorry this one just gave me a sore head.

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.

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.

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

Dental office on-hold music. 3/10 1 star IMO: Belonged in the book? in no universe, ever.

really relaxing

Det här är ett rent rungade jaså. Gör inte en människa glad. Man blir mest förgrymmad.

Lyrics please!