Ulver
A Quick Fix of Melancholy EP

As a band fanboy, it almost felt sacrilegious not to find a review of this small, icy gem by Ulver in Debaser's rich database. 22 minutes and 55 seconds of pure emotion for what is one of the creative peaks of the dear Norwegian wolves. Not a single piece is out of place in this EP, and despite the brevity of the work, there's plenty at stake. "A Quick Fix of Melancholy" represents the sum and at the same time the surpassing of what Ulver had done up to that moment: the icy electronics and experimentation, dear to Rygg and company since the abandonment of the black metal of their beginnings, now coexist, indeed they blend naturally with more classical instrumentation (although clearly these are samples and not real instruments), with passionate strings towering above everything else.

Simplistically, one could say that this small great record, the nature and emotional impact of which is exemplified and hinted at by its very title, is transitional: a step forward from Perdition City and a prelude to Blood Inside and Shadows of the Sun (whose hazy atmospheres partly continue the discourse started in this EP). But relegating it to the simple role of a "testing ground" for the subsequent full-length would not do justice to the four monumental tracks that compose it.

More than before, Kristoffer Rygg's voice (which for longtime fans and friends will probably always remain "that" Garm) captures the listener's attention, first seductive and soft, then intense and powerful, an instrument among the instruments. The singer and frontman of Ulver has finally gained that necessary confidence to dominate the instrumental tapestry and his voice is no longer relegated to a sporadic accompaniment. It is capable of moving, digging into the deep recesses of our souls, even when he utters no words and limits himself to ethereal vocal modulations in "Eitttlane," a rare case of a remix (highly successful) able to match and even surpass the original, the "Nattleite" (of which Eitttlane is indeed an anagram) from "Kveldssanger."

In Vowels, considered by many fans, including myself, the masterpiece within the masterpiece, we can almost imagine dear Kristoffer assuming the stature, the majesty, and above all the vocal range of an opera singer. The sensation produced by the contrast between his warm voice and the icy strings marching menacingly and limping in a build-up leading to the final release is indescribable. In this EP, a certain attraction of Ulver toward some neoclassical music or some soundtracks becomes apparent. They themselves, after all, had already written the score for the Norwegian short film "Lyckantropen Themes" in 2002 and would venture again, in 2003 (the same year "A Quick Fix..." was released), into composing the soundtrack for the film "Svidd Neger."

In "Doom Sticks," the first of the two instrumental tracks on the EP, there's almost the impression of hearing Danny Elfman, Tim Burton's trusted composer, struggling between epic incursions and synthesized brass. It might be my mind traveling and finding all sorts of strange connections, but more than once I happened to imagine Edward Scissorhands running through a snowy landscape as I listened.

As for the lyrics, on the other hand, we find very few words (and plenty of wordplay in "Vowels"), but all highly enigmatic, evocative, and functional to Music. Yes, yes, with a capital M.

Ambient, electronics, a pleasantly chameleonic voice, and loads and loads of chill, a common thread and essential characteristic in every Ulver record. Highly recommended to venture into their eclectic world, at the same level as their abundantly acclaimed masterpieces.