ALBUM REVIEW: Origins – Nordic Giants
With their 2022 album Symbiosis, NORDIC GIANTS took their music to even higher levels of that epic and emotional nature that they have become masters of. To truly appreciate how the band reached such vast heights, you really have to go way back to the beginning, which is where their latest release Origins comes in.
As the title of the album might tell you, Origins is not a new NORDIC GIANTS record – although in great news there will be a brand new studio album coming later on this year – but rather a look back at the genesis of the beloved post-rock duo. It consists of the band’s first recordings, the A Tree As Old As Me EP, the singles Speed The Crows Nest and Shine, and the bonus tracks all collected together and bolstered with newly-recorded live strings, drums, piano, synths and guitars to create a listening experience that is completely in line with the experience of seeing the band in their natural habitat.
Kicking off with the sample heavy and hazily epic Together, Origins gives a new outlook on the music of NORDIC GIANTS and you can see why the band have become so revered. The trajectory of their music from then until now is both inspired and inspiring, and the emotional vibe that prevails throughout this collection will take your breath away. The reworked editions of these songs sound even grander on Origins, with the ethereal Glass Skinned Girl, a simply beautiful track, standing out alongside the string-laden Through A Lens Darkly as two definite highlights. Simply put, the whole of Origins is a stunning listening experience from beginning to end and to consume everything that is on offer here is a real pleasure indeed.
The fact that the music of NORDIC GIANTS is similarly evocative with either the vocalists that feature or their stunning instrumental soundscapes is testament to the power and emotion of their music and how they deliver it. This is mesmerising music that will take you on a journey through the soundscapes that the band have perfected both as a duo and on the stage. It’s a great look at the early part of NORDIC GIANTS and how their music has grown and how it has been updated here is very inspiring and leaves you wanting to catch the band next time they play live for sure. While the next studio album is tantalisingly close, Origins gives you a fresh perspective on the early days of such a special band and it should definitely be applauded for doing so.
Rating: 8/10
Origins is out now via self-release.
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