ulver

[NFU]

Garm has said that he thinks Ulver will never be more than a poor imitation of their influences. Not being overly familiar with some of these influences (Future Sounds of London, for example), can anyone possibly discuss that statement further? If the influences are so clear, then how well do the people on this forum reckon Ulver stand up in comparison with these acts?

i cant say ulver have exceeded their influences, for that wouldnt be fair to any of the mentioned bands. future sound of london, coil and so on are all similar to ulver, but they all do something a bit different. however ulver has a much darker and more sinister approach to what they do over many of their influences, which i think earns them a meritable and valid place among their peers, not below them.

 

[Monochrome]

Whenever I feel down I'll read this thread. lolz

 

[opeth_353]

emo

 

[Risquit]

Its not a stretch to hear a definite Beach Boys influence in there too.

 

[Sickman]

If you're not familiar with Ulver, the LAST album I would recommend is Nattens Madrigal. But that's just me. It's a great album, but that album isn't one that is really going to sink in on the first listen. You should definitely check out Bergtatt first. Garm showcases both the harsh vocals and the clean vocals to near perfection. The guy can do it all. And after this album, I'd check out Kveldssanger, which is perfect from start to finish.

 

[OpethNZ]

just ordered Blood INside and Perdition City myself

 

[JoeVice]

blood inside is good background music...its flat, empty, and lifeless.. but intended to be that way. i get depressed when i really dive into it.

 

[NFU]

blood inside is good background music...its flat, empty, and lifeless.. but intended to be that way. i get depressed when i really dive into it.

......huh?

 

[JoeVice]

......huh?

i'm assuming you've heard it. what do you think about the album?

 

[NFU]

i'm assuming you've heard it. what do you think about the album?

i love it. however i dont even understand how you can care to listen to or appreciate Ulver at all if youre just using it as background music. fucking bizarre.

 

[OpethNZ]

can't believe i hated blood inside at first, now that i love it so much...well in a way i can, its a pretty odd album, just took a long ass time to grow on me

 

[the_3_toed_sloth]

Just ordered Lyckantropen Themes today (OpethNZ and I did an order together, to save on shipping).

Really don't know what to expect at all...it's a filmscore, so i guess very moody and not 'songs' as such, and no vox. But with Ulver any expectations are foolish, so im just going to go in blind and enjoy whatever i find.

Not one of the more talked about albums...is this because people here don't like, or just havn't heard?

 

[NFU]

Just ordered Lyckantropen Themes today (OpethNZ and I did an order together, to save on shipping).

Really don't know what to expect at all...it's a filmscore, so i guess very moody and not 'songs' as such, and no vox. But with Ulver any expectations are foolish, so im just going to go in blind and enjoy whatever i find.

Not one of the more talked about albums...is this because people here don't like, or just havn't heard?

Lyckantropen is a great album in my opinion. Except for a little too much consistancy here and there, you wouldnt really even know it is a film soundtrack. Although when you see the film, youll understand how the music actually does fit perfectly. The material is minimalist, but also very interesting and "arms length" moody. In other words its kind of cold and eerie, but at the same time it does feel a bit "familiar" i guess. Hard to explain really, but youll probably understand once you hear it.

 

[Ermz]

Yes, Lyckanthropen is fantastic minimalist/ambient electronica. I had no idea it was meant to be a film score until it was mentioned in this thread. In either case, the music certainly stands up by itself.

I usually can't get enough of this sort of music. Some sections remind me of things Aphex Twin have done, but that's about the only similarity my mind can draw.

 

[narcoleptic haze]

I think it's fantastic.

It's very subtle. It feels warm and calming, yet somewhat cold and isolated. (if that makes any sense).

The last 2 tracks however are a huge contrast. Like Moonlapse said, one of them is very reminiscent of Aphex Twin. To be honest i don't think they fit the album. But then I haven't seen the film, so who knows.

 

[NFU]

To be honest i don't think they fit the album. But then I haven't seen the film.

id shut up then probably? just a thought.

 

[narcoleptic haze]

ouch

 

[deliverance]

I'm quite surprised to see many people here dislike or have disliked Blood Inside. I liked it from the first time I heard it. And with each consecutive listen, I "hear" more on the album. It's layered quite a bit, and there's a lot going on, and it's excellent. The vox are the most impressive and enjoyable feature on the album. Garm has been a great singer from the get go, but he has gotten so good, I'd have no problem saying he has one of the best voices I've heard, in music (both harsh and clean). I love all of Ulver's work, and this is certainly one of my favorite releases.
To those that have only listened to it a couple times, give it another spin, and let the music take you in, it really is very good.

same goes for those who doubt Nattens Madrigal. The first time I heard it, the production was a distraction to me, and turned me off a bit. With repeated listens however, I honestly wasn't bothered by the production at all. The music within showcases talent. As others have said, the sound on the album was used to create a certain atmosphere (or lack of money? lolz) and it works well.

I'm not very good at reviewing or describing why I think a song/album is good...but nothing really needs to be said about these albums, just BUY them, listen a few times, and you will appreciate what has been recorded

Can't wait for their next record...probably not gonna be for a while though

 

[JoeVice]

i love it. however i dont even understand how you can care to listen to or appreciate Ulver at all if youre just using it as background music. fucking bizarre.

pretty fucking bizarre indeed.

i dunno, its very distant music. i've popped it in a few times when reading and talking to a friend, but to turn up the volume and listen by myself...i can't do it...gotta twiddle my thumbs or think about something else.

 

[NFU]

pretty fucking bizarre indeed.

i dunno, its very distant music. i've popped it in a few times when reading and talking to a friend, but to turn up the volume and listen by myself...i can't do it...gotta twiddle my thumbs or think about something else.

no. YOU are fucking bizarre.