Spurv – “Myra” [Album Review]

Norwegian label Fysisk Format strikes again, now with a new release from Spurv, an instrumental post-rock collective that hails from Oslo. Having built on the foundations established on début Skarntyde, the band – with some remarkable guests involved – push the boundaries even further on Myra.

Comparable to the likes of If These Trees Could Talk and Russian Circles, the atmosphere of this album is so vibrant that it brings the listeners to an otherworldly realm. While “Et Løfte I Fall” opens the album with an exploration in white noise, other tracks hold much more diversity. Each possesses its own color(s) and emotion(s): “Fra Dypet Under Stenen” shifts between upbeat and poignant; “Og Ny Skog Bæres Frem” fast-paced and vehement post-rock, with erratic drumming; “Hviler Bekkenes Sang” a desolate tune led by strings and resembling a movie score. The names tapped for mixing and mastering – Martin Bowitz and Jørgen Smådal (Cold Mailman) for the former, Magnus Lindberg (Cult of Luna) for the latter – deliver crystal results where every element, from soft orchestral strings to chaotic drones, are showcased to the fullest.

Explore their immersive sound on “Et Blekt Lys Lider” here.

Myra is also exceptional due to its guest performances – members of fellow Oslo experimentalists Ulver (namely Tore Ylwizaker and Ole Aleksander Halstensgård), and their collaborators Kari Rønnekleiv and Ole-Henrik Moe. Each guest adds a touch of their unique style to the project. Despite so many names involved in one project, the result actually adds an impeccable level of detail to the layers, contributing to the subliminal vibes of the record as a whole.

Although Myra follows post-rock’s usual tradition of being instrumental, this album nevertheless speaks of life and death; the facticity of beings and human beings’ place amongst other creatures. It seems as if this work of art that Spurv et al have created has helped them form a greater understanding of life and death, existence, and the world. The closing track, “Allting Får Sin Ende, Også Natten”, summarizes its sentiments in an excerpt of Martin Heidegger’s remarks – one of the sentences reads, “Die Sterbliche sind die Menschen.” (transl: “The mortals are the human beings.”)

Myra suggests that it is up to artists to show the myth that progress is inevitable, the world is more unfathomable than it seems on the first glance, and that nothing lasts forever. It is a stunning record from Spurv and their collaborators, who all demonstrate an intimate understanding of how to create vibrancy and stillness in the listeners’ souls.

Starting with “Fra Dypet Under Stenen”, stream the entire album here.

Myra Track Listing:

01. Et Løfte I Fall
02. Og Ny Skog Bæres Frem
03. Fra Dypet Under Stenen
04. Hviler Bekkenes Sang
05. Et Blekt Lys Lyder
06. Fra Myrtempelet
07. Den Gamles Stemme Brister
08. Allting Får Sin Ende, Også Natten

Run Time: 46:33
Release Date: June 1, 2018
Record Label: Fysisk Format