Ulver - ATGCLVLSSCAP

January 31, 2016 1:23 PM

Long-running experimentalists Ulver break free from the studio to release ATGCLVLSSCAP. From PopMatters:

The basis of this new double LP, ATGCLVLSSCAP, comes from a dozen shows the band performed in early 2014, not long after the unit had issued its postmodern requiem mass Messe I.X-VI.X. The material here is the result of the group improvising in the live setting, blending the dark electronic elements that it has become known for with traces of the psychedelic, dashes of minimalism and rhythms that sway somewhere between Scandinavian primacy and ornate Latin temples to movement and time. Now placed side-by-side the pieces form two possible interpretations: the first of which is an album that evolves with a tension and release strategy in its sequence or a composition with 12 chambers that take the listener through all the same movements and emotions of a well-wrought symphony.

The Quietus:

With the exception of the late David Bowie, Ulver have to be the furthest wandering of music's shapeshifters. The fallout of think pieces, playlists, and personal recollections in the wake of Bowie's death brought into sharp focus, just how potent the man's deftness for metamorphosis was. It's revealed the depth how liberating these evolving personas were for Bowie's music, unlocking a well documented pathway from hippie flower child to post punk in a matter of a few years. Ulver's own two decade journey feels equally if not more stylistically varied and far-reaching than Bowie's, even without the glittery articulation of makeup, haircuts, and a busy costume department. From the loose knit Norwegian collective's beginnings in black metal, they've gone on to touch upon choral and chamber music, Nuggets-era West Coast psychedelia, cosmic drone, industrial music, glitchy soundscapes, woodland folk, even trip-hop (plus plenty more in between I'm sure), and the lingering spirits of them all seem somehow buried in the depths of ATGCLVLSSCAP's immense 80 minutes.

Pitchfork:

Ulver's 16th album, ATGCKVLSSCAP, provides proof of their initial ferocity, even after countless incarnations. After 2014’s plodding Sunn O))) collaboration Terrestrials, Ulver have sprung back to life with a krautrock-leaning collection derived from several live improvisational pieces the band performed at various shows two years ago.

Sputnik:

ATGCLVLSSCAP is Godspeed by way of Pink Floyd by way of Sunn O))) by way of a jam band catapulting head first into the ineffable abyss that graces the cover art. It's an conglomerate of a dozen types of sounds and styles that melds into a surprisingly unique yet familiar package. One would hesitantly describe the band's latest record as "post-rock," albeit without the builds, climaxes or superfluous junk that comes with it.

posted by Existential Dread (9 comments total)

This is amazing, thank you.
posted by Sebmojo at 2:08 PM on January 31, 2016 [1 favorite]

Ulver are one of my absolute favourite bands and I had not heard about this. Thank you!
posted by Dysk at 4:00 PM on January 31, 2016 [1 favorite]

I had no idea about this, and I have followed Ulver since the release of Perdition City. They are an amazing musical group, whose releases really do defy explanation; I never know what to expect from them, but eagerly dive into every release with keen interest. From their black metal trilogy, to their conceptual effort based on the Marriage of Heaven and Hell, to collaborating with Sunn O))) they have such a diverse discography I often find it difficult to tell myself this is all from the same group.

Great post! Thank you.
posted by Dark Messiah at 6:25 PM on January 31, 2016 [2 favorites]

Also, how can you go wrong with a black metal group whose legend speaks of them signing a record deal and blowing the whole advance on coke, renting fancy cars and suits for photo shoots? Ulver are a treasure of the modern world, damn it.
posted by Dark Messiah at 6:26 PM on January 31, 2016 [1 favorite]

With the exception of the late David Bowie, Ulver have to be the furthest wandering of music's shapeshifters.

David Sylvian, Scott Walker, and Talk Talk would like a word with you, Quietus author.
posted by kenko at 7:02 PM on January 31, 2016 [4 favorites]

One of the strangest crossing of the streams in my musical word was Myrkur. Amelie Brunn, whom I only knew from vocals on R.A. The Rugged Man's "Definition of a Rap Flow" (link), and Kristoffer Rygg (Ulver), producing a really engaging black metal project.
posted by Dark Messiah at 7:24 PM on January 31, 2016

Of a piece with this is Ulver's performance at the Norwegian National Opera. It features much more of Rygg's singing on some stunning renditions of Perdition City, Blood Inside, Shadows of the Sun. Listen to Eos and Let the Children Go in a dark quiet place and you'll get chills. Rygg's performance of Little Blue Bird is stunning.
posted by Existential Dread at 8:22 PM on January 31, 2016 [2 favorites]

Thank you for the post. I tend to forget Ulver exist, although I look at a piece of artwork that accompanied the release of Shadows of the Sun on my wall everyday.

Aside from Shadows of the Sun, which is still one of the most bleakly beautiful albums I've ever heard, I find their music can sometimes drift into madness that I respect but don't necessarily like. Songs like Nowhere/Catastrophe (I see we get a reimagining on this new album) are great and almost poppy. Others, like It Is Not Sound, I think are probably brilliant, but frankly my ears can only hear a hint of that brilliance. In the more recent releases since Shadows of the Sun, they seem to have gone in a more ambient direction, and I can see this release getting more consistent playtime for me.

I think I'm going to go listen to Bergtatt, it's been many years.
posted by heycoder at 9:21 PM on January 31, 2016 [2 favorites]

My first encounter with Ulver was in the book Lords Of Chaos, about the wave of Satanism-inspired murder and church arson that came out of the Norwegian black metal scene; they were mentioned because they were a band in the same scene, not necessarily because they were connected to those events. I didn't actually listen to them, because musically metal isn't really my cup of tea (I find it more interesting to read books/watch documentaries about than to actually listen to), so I didn't seek them out, though I noticed that their promotional photo there looked out of character for the genre; rather than the usual corpsepainted berserker look, they looked almost like bombastic-period Sisters Of Mercy or someone.

But yes, I've been hearing over the years that I really ought to check out Ulver. I'm listening to ATGCLVLSSCAP now, and it's great; thanks. I imagine they'd be pretty intense live.
posted by acb at 6:10 AM on February 1, 2016