Nest
Trail Of The Unwary

Cold as their homeland, Finland. Glacial and primordial like the sound of the Kantele plucked by Tolonen. The Lappish duo called Nest was born at the turn of the millennium and offers archaic music as if going against the trend. Key elements include keyboards, bass, almost tribal percussion, voices and whispers, and the mystical Kantele, a traditional Lappish metal-stringed instrument that produces a crystalline, heterogeneous, yet extremely cold acoustic sound.

The result is an ambient with ample space dedicated to folk, and therefore to acoustic and atmospheric passages. Tolonen has participated in various metal and non-metal projects (DoomSquirrel, The Mist and the Morning Dew, Todesbonden, Shape Of Despair) playing his instrument, demonstrating the heterogeneous versatility it possesses. Besides "Woodsmoke" and a couple of splits, we find this "return" in the still meager discography of Nest. The first note concerns the rhythms and rhythmic passages that speed up significantly compared to the previous album. In addition, tribal and keyboard inserts are more present. In general, listening can be very heavy and difficult, especially on the first few tries. In fact, I believe it is not a minimalist album, but rather one for background listening, to be heard while doing something else, or when reflecting. The transportation is not simple, but at suitable moments, even during study, for example, it can be extremely relaxing and help enormously more than any chemical substance.

The opening, entrusted to 10 minutes of "Moonbow", is curious for the use of a cat purr background. The Kantele will be easily recognizable by the sound, as the absolute protagonist of all the tracks. The ambient and bass background will almost always serve as the setting. "Claw And Fang" refers back to more tribal and sustained rhythms, resulting in quite a smooth flow despite its 8 and a half minutes. Kontio contrasts it with its poignant sweetness, using pleasant vocal inserts and choruses. The 15 minutes of "Hunt" are among the richest in contrasting atmospheres produced by the duo. Indeed, it turns out to be the most enjoyable track, filled with tension, fear, and moments of apparent calm, as if hidden under something waiting for the danger to pass. The feeling of being hunted, of being prey that runs and hides while observing the hunter. All described almost exclusively by musical instruments. And halfway through, the courage to come out of hiding emerges, perhaps out of hunger, and the hunt resumes, the predator never having moved, with the illogical patience of those who are hungry. "The Mire" evolves very slowly and perhaps is the most redundant and repetitive. Like "The Turning Of The Tides", it is long and prolix but also richer and more minimalistic compared to the others. The main issue is precisely the sense of déjà vu that looms as you progress through the listening, and although the compositional skill of Nest is undeniable, listening can be done from time to time and under conditions that still allow the mind to be engaged. Otherwise, the result would be the boredom of the album, which is still typical of the genre...

"Across The Waters" is the conclusion of nearly 40 minutes of "Trail of the Unwary" which is an excellent ambient record, played in a purely expressive manner, albeit decidedly not very objective. A listen is recommended for everyone, but be aware of the conditions I proposed, as they are crucial for appreciating its power. It's like water, inconsistent and intangible on its own, but in a sponge, it manages to fill all the empty spaces, penetrating to the core.