Ulver - Perdition City (The Music To An Interior Film)
Jester TRICK007 2001
By Russell Garwood
Perdition City (The Music To An Interior Film), Ulvers 5th full length release, is 53 minutes of flowing and cohesive music quite an achievement considering the diversity of the material. Ulver now comprises Christophus G Rygg (Trickster G) and Tore Ylwizaker, the rest of the band being listed as personnel.
Perdition City opens with an alto sax and some trip hoppy drums creating images of seedy, dark urban life in Lost In Moments, demonstrating Ulver's new slightly jazzier direction. Garm (Trickster G's) vocals are still present (but to a far lesser extent), ending track one and moving beautifully into the minimalistic piano intro of Porn Piece Or The Scars Of Cold Kisses. This consists of two sections which soon develop into a bleak soundscape that can, at times, feel more like a wall of sound.
The stripped-down electronica of Hallways Of Always with its sparse piano and scratching is followed by the sinister but appealing Tomorrow Never Knows. Next comes one of my favourites, The Future Sound Of Music, with its electronic beeping over melancholy piano developing into a great crescendo. When this fades into noise I am left feeling I would be happy if this was the future sound of music.
Track 6 We Are Dead consists primarily of atmospheric noise with spoken vocals, and leads on to the intriguing Dead City Centres, the most jazzy song on the album, reminiscent of a smoky 30's nightclub. Catalept could easily function as the score to a horror film, and the album ends with the more conventional but excellent Nowhere/Catastrophe. The vocals are extremely impressive, closing the album perfectly.
A far cry from much of Ulvers earlier work, Perdition City shows yet another development in their long and varied career. This dark, eclectic album will keep you hooked for weeks
Jester TRICK007 2001
By Russell Garwood
Perdition City (The Music To An Interior Film), Ulvers 5th full length release, is 53 minutes of flowing and cohesive music quite an achievement considering the diversity of the material. Ulver now comprises Christophus G Rygg (Trickster G) and Tore Ylwizaker, the rest of the band being listed as personnel.
Perdition City opens with an alto sax and some trip hoppy drums creating images of seedy, dark urban life in Lost In Moments, demonstrating Ulver's new slightly jazzier direction. Garm (Trickster G's) vocals are still present (but to a far lesser extent), ending track one and moving beautifully into the minimalistic piano intro of Porn Piece Or The Scars Of Cold Kisses. This consists of two sections which soon develop into a bleak soundscape that can, at times, feel more like a wall of sound.
The stripped-down electronica of Hallways Of Always with its sparse piano and scratching is followed by the sinister but appealing Tomorrow Never Knows. Next comes one of my favourites, The Future Sound Of Music, with its electronic beeping over melancholy piano developing into a great crescendo. When this fades into noise I am left feeling I would be happy if this was the future sound of music.
Track 6 We Are Dead consists primarily of atmospheric noise with spoken vocals, and leads on to the intriguing Dead City Centres, the most jazzy song on the album, reminiscent of a smoky 30's nightclub. Catalept could easily function as the score to a horror film, and the album ends with the more conventional but excellent Nowhere/Catastrophe. The vocals are extremely impressive, closing the album perfectly.
A far cry from much of Ulvers earlier work, Perdition City shows yet another development in their long and varied career. This dark, eclectic album will keep you hooked for weeks
Probably near a hundred 
