EP REVIEW: Mørketid – Kalandra

The seasonal music release has a maligned history in music. For many years, it remained the preserve of fan club-exclusive B-sides, or Christmas-themed novelty songs. A few bands have made efforts in recent years to embrace the tradition more seriously, notably MONO with their Heaven EP series, released each Christmas. For progressive folk rock quartet KALANDRA, inspiration sprang from the release of last year’s standalone single Ghosts – omitted from 2024’s A Frame Of Mind album as a poor fit for the broader tone, and instead dropped in late November to reflect the winter seasons. This year, the Norwegian group have expanded the concept to a full EP, Mørketid, mixing both original material and carefully selected covers.

The Nordic folk traditions imbued in KALANDRA‘s sound are a natural fit for this concept. Their ethereal sounds and traditional melodies seem tailor-made to evoke the traditions of Scandinavian winter: cold, long nights; beautiful winter landscapes; communal celebration. Single Ghosts reappears on Mørketid and remains just as lovely in its melodies. Here, as with the rest of the EP, KALANDRA steer away from the heavier guitar work that permeated A Frame Of Mind in favour of sweeping strings and acoustic arpeggiations. The distorted guitars are still present, but simplified – root chords mixed in the background, lending gravitas over dynamics.

Driving the melodic heft of the EP is vocalist Katrine Stenbekk. Her singing voice is in fine form, whether layered in harmonies or allowed to breathe as on the new composition Till The End. A looping, building folk melody evolves with minimal backing to begin with, almost acapella and informed by traditional folk phrasing. The song builds subtly around the strength and vulnerability of Stenbekk‘s voice, with flashes of pipe organ adding drama.

Almost as important as executing a cover well for a band is selecting what songs to cover. Two interesting selections bookend Mørketid that deftly navigate the typical pitfalls. The highlight of the EP is the opener, Mitt Hjerte Alltid Vanker: an 18th-century seasonal hymn, to which KALANDRA embrace the universal melodies and add a touch of widescreen cinema with thumping toms and strings. Its best moment comes towards the end in an acapella section with some delightful choral progressions. More left-field is the closing song, Hymna Til Blåfjell. Taken from the soundtrack to a late 90s Norwegian children’s TV show, it finds its nostalgia recast in a slicker form. Droning bass and driving percussion lend a newfound heft, whilst Stenbekk‘s vocals dance in otherworldly, flighty fashion.

Fans of the guitar-driven aspects of KALANDRA albums, or those hoping for substantive new material, may be disappointed with this EP, but that misses the point. Mørketid is a charming release – a package of meaningful reflection of the season whose intent matches its sonic palette. Amidst the hectic run-in to the end of the year, we’d all do well to find a few minutes for reflection, and Mørketid presents as the perfect soundtrack.

Rating: 8/10

Mørketid is out now via By Norse. 

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