ALBUM REVIEW: The Forest Sessions – Jonathan Hultén
In March 2020, with the world on the precipice of total lockdown, TRIBULATION guitarist and Necromantic Art guru JONATHAN HULTÉN released his debut solo effort Chants From Another Place, an album so beautiful and tranquil it received excellent reviews across the board. Two years later and Hultén has been at work taking songs from this debut and, alongside tracks from 2017 EP The Dark Night Of The Soul, turned in a collection of experimental versions entitled The Forest Sessions, to be released on Friday 16th December via Kscope and twinned with a short film comprising music videos and interludes alongside poems and illustrations.
Taken in isolation, the album is in line with Hultén‘s conventional output – it doesn’t crash about, instead floating through the air and tantalising with the utmost grace. All of the tracks are identifiable in their new guises – there’s no major rearrangement here – but they’re different enough to add a new dimension; Wasteland, for example, uses an organ instead of keyboards and Hultén‘s voice has more of a reverb than the original. Holy Woods, originally just a repeating guitar loop with either one or three voices singing melody lines using just ‘La’ has been developed with more voices – both male and female – and, although there are still no distinct lyrics, the addition of ‘Ooh’s’ along with the ‘La’s is a nice touch.
…And The Pillars Tremble is usually a haunting, acapella affair, but the organs make a return to change the style to more chamber music/high Anglican church grandiose, and brand new composition Dance Of The Water Spirits is a sharp turn from the rest of the material, taking on a more enlightening and upbeat tone. Even without the visual element, this is a stunning reimagining by Hultén, one that will relax and calm with utmost ease.
That said, there is a visual element, and when this is in place things go up a level. Shot in the woods and caves around Stockholm, all eight videos were recorded in the space of 24 hours and are interspersed with short animations, each of which contains an eight line poem. The animated sections are gorgeous, simple yet effective and a throwback to the two-dimensional cartoons of yesteryear, whilst the poems combine with the music to convey a mythical journey through the landscape. At the end of both this and the album, however, is a surprise – The Call To Adventure and A Dance In The Road in so called ‘Roadburn’ versions. Given Hultén hasn’t played the Dutch festival of the same name since 2018, this either is a throwback laid down on tape for the first time or an indication of what can be expected at 2023’s edition, but either way it’s a stunning way to finish proceedings.
When a new album comes with a visual element, it’s always prudent to go for the full package to ensure a more rounded experience. But if this isn’t possible, The Forest Sessions is still an excellent body of work on its own, audible accord. JONATHAN HULTÉN is a talented individual, make no bones about it, and this is another exemplary effort from a man who is just getting started on his own, boundless journey.
Rating: 8/10
The Forest Sessions is set for release on December 16th via Kscope.
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