Tor Lundvall - Last Light (Strange Fortune Records)
Tracklisting: 1. Rust 2. The Pond 3. It's Over Now 4. Silver Wash 5. Last Light 6. Storm 7. Soft Bipolarity 8. Blue Room 9. Sunday Evening 10. Cold 11. Still 12. Lost At Sea
1. Rust
In the first song on Last Light, we are presented with a blank, empty canvass, on which Tor Lundvall begins to paint the sounds as they play, while our minds wander and try to decipher the complexities of the melodies. Rust is a very gentle track; it starts with nothing and quickly introduces the listener to the world of Tor Lundvall, without bombarding them with sound. Overall, this song is very well done.
2. The Pond
‘The Pond’ is a very desolate song, with a gloomy piano bringing us down before it is accompanied by light, almost ethereal vocals. The song plods onward and the sound continues to expand, growing more distant from the listener with each passing minute. I think this is an amazing feat by Tor Lundvall; they are able to present themselves captivatingly, and then gradually wander away, leaving you wanting more.
3. It’s Over Now
This song continues with the depressive atmosphere found in ‘The Pond’, but brings something new to the sound as well. This version is more energetic and alive, with industrial noises and guitars breaking up the main tune. An example of the complexity in this band’s sound, ‘It’s Over Now’ combines heavily industrial elements with unconventional sounds and an acoustic guitar to create a unique kind of music, something that I wish more bands today would try to do.
4. Silver Wash
Bells and synthesizers make up this track, along with an airy chorus from the ghostly voice. ‘Silver Wash’ is a great example of Tor Lundvall’s distant, introspective sound. A song very similar to ‘Rust’, ‘Silver Wash’ does not really contain much to make it lonely or sad, but rather it is simply a journey of gentle sound.
5. Last Light
My favorite song from Last Light, the title track is a very complex one, with small, separate melodies that are hidden in the background, beneath the gloomy exterior. The sound here is akin to escape the day, in that it is a beautiful kind of melancholy. All of the noises in this song combine to create a very deep and striking sound at times, offset by the gentle melody that makes up the main song. The vocals here are especially good, and they perfectly fit the music.
6. Storm
One of the more rhythmic songs, ‘Storm’ still manages to retain the sad atmosphere of the previous songs, despite the more upbeat melody. From the perspective of a metalhead, Tor Lundvall at times seems to have a lot in common with the sound of Doom Metal, only without the ‘metal’. It’s as if they have isolated the depressive and gloomy sound that is present in said genre and brought it into this new type of sound that they have created. I think this is quite an achievement, whether it was intentional of not.
7. Soft Bipolarity
What sounds like a music box starts out song number 7, before a wall of sound confines the listener. This song is different from the rest, in that it actually sounds hopeful, but it doesn’t isolate itself from the rest of the album by retaining the band’s trademark sound. All in all, this song is good, and it shows the ability of Tor Lundvall as well, how they are able to make more than one type of music.
8. Blue Room
This song is one of the highlights of Last Light, starting off with light drumming and again utilizing Tor Lundvall’s amazing ability to create a feeling of distance between their music and the rest of the listener’s surroundings. The lyrics of this song are of note here as well, because they very accurately describe the feelings of confinement and weariness that we all feel from day to day, while the music tries to illustrate it. A standout song, and a nice effort overall.
9. Sunday Evening
Another plodding song, ‘Sunday Evening’ is one of the most gloomy offerings on the Last Light album. Like most of the others, it contains a few tiny, hidden melodies for you to find and revel in, while the main sound continues on. The sound of a clock serves to pace this song, and goes well with the theme of passing time. While this song is a bit plain compared to the others, it is still very good.
10. Cold
Synthesizers manage to create a sound that truly lives up to the song’s title, with sudden bursts of sound resembling a biting wind, while other strange noises and an occasional tapping sound drive the song. The music box sound from ‘Soft Bipolarity’ returns here, with a quiet melody of its own in the middle of the song. The sadness-laden, ethereal vocals complete the sound, culminating to make this fantastic song.
11. Still
If I had to put Tor Lundvall’s music into one type of category or genre, I wouldn’t really know what to do, because the sound is very original; at times borrowing from industrial music, while using unconventional, experimental sounds at others. This is the case with ‘Still’, this song takes the best from both of those respective genres and blends them together to create an interesting, melancholic piece of aural artwork.
12. Lost At Sea
The final track of Last Light; a piano is all that you will find here, and really it is all that is needed. The instrument alone has the ability to create amazing atmospheres and melodies, and Tor Lundvall uses it to its full potential. An utterly hopeless sound pervades the closing song of this wonderful album, captivating us for a short time, before departing once again.
Pros:
In every one of these songs, save for ‘Soft Bipolarity’, Tor Lundvall manages to craft an incredibly gloomy atmosphere that also contains a lot of beauty, and to express these beautiful elements very subtly, to the point where the listener must search for them at times to discover their sound; and that makes it all the more rewarding.
Cons:
I really can’t think of any that are notable.
Overall:
The depressive and captivating vocals, well-written lyrics, and interesting melodies combine to form a unique sound that is a blend of several different styles. One of the most impressive aspects of this album, in my opinion, is the band’s ability to create an impression of vast distance within their songs, to the point where the listener feels far away from everything else, and enveloped in the music. This is a truly excellent album, and I am really looking forward to hearing more from Tor Lundvall.
Val
1. Rust
In the first song on Last Light, we are presented with a blank, empty canvass, on which Tor Lundvall begins to paint the sounds as they play, while our minds wander and try to decipher the complexities of the melodies. Rust is a very gentle track; it starts with nothing and quickly introduces the listener to the world of Tor Lundvall, without bombarding them with sound. Overall, this song is very well done.
2. The Pond
‘The Pond’ is a very desolate song, with a gloomy piano bringing us down before it is accompanied by light, almost ethereal vocals. The song plods onward and the sound continues to expand, growing more distant from the listener with each passing minute. I think this is an amazing feat by Tor Lundvall; they are able to present themselves captivatingly, and then gradually wander away, leaving you wanting more.
3. It’s Over Now
This song continues with the depressive atmosphere found in ‘The Pond’, but brings something new to the sound as well. This version is more energetic and alive, with industrial noises and guitars breaking up the main tune. An example of the complexity in this band’s sound, ‘It’s Over Now’ combines heavily industrial elements with unconventional sounds and an acoustic guitar to create a unique kind of music, something that I wish more bands today would try to do.
4. Silver Wash
Bells and synthesizers make up this track, along with an airy chorus from the ghostly voice. ‘Silver Wash’ is a great example of Tor Lundvall’s distant, introspective sound. A song very similar to ‘Rust’, ‘Silver Wash’ does not really contain much to make it lonely or sad, but rather it is simply a journey of gentle sound.
5. Last Light
My favorite song from Last Light, the title track is a very complex one, with small, separate melodies that are hidden in the background, beneath the gloomy exterior. The sound here is akin to escape the day, in that it is a beautiful kind of melancholy. All of the noises in this song combine to create a very deep and striking sound at times, offset by the gentle melody that makes up the main song. The vocals here are especially good, and they perfectly fit the music.
6. Storm
One of the more rhythmic songs, ‘Storm’ still manages to retain the sad atmosphere of the previous songs, despite the more upbeat melody. From the perspective of a metalhead, Tor Lundvall at times seems to have a lot in common with the sound of Doom Metal, only without the ‘metal’. It’s as if they have isolated the depressive and gloomy sound that is present in said genre and brought it into this new type of sound that they have created. I think this is quite an achievement, whether it was intentional of not.
7. Soft Bipolarity
What sounds like a music box starts out song number 7, before a wall of sound confines the listener. This song is different from the rest, in that it actually sounds hopeful, but it doesn’t isolate itself from the rest of the album by retaining the band’s trademark sound. All in all, this song is good, and it shows the ability of Tor Lundvall as well, how they are able to make more than one type of music.
8. Blue Room
This song is one of the highlights of Last Light, starting off with light drumming and again utilizing Tor Lundvall’s amazing ability to create a feeling of distance between their music and the rest of the listener’s surroundings. The lyrics of this song are of note here as well, because they very accurately describe the feelings of confinement and weariness that we all feel from day to day, while the music tries to illustrate it. A standout song, and a nice effort overall.
9. Sunday Evening
Another plodding song, ‘Sunday Evening’ is one of the most gloomy offerings on the Last Light album. Like most of the others, it contains a few tiny, hidden melodies for you to find and revel in, while the main sound continues on. The sound of a clock serves to pace this song, and goes well with the theme of passing time. While this song is a bit plain compared to the others, it is still very good.
10. Cold
Synthesizers manage to create a sound that truly lives up to the song’s title, with sudden bursts of sound resembling a biting wind, while other strange noises and an occasional tapping sound drive the song. The music box sound from ‘Soft Bipolarity’ returns here, with a quiet melody of its own in the middle of the song. The sadness-laden, ethereal vocals complete the sound, culminating to make this fantastic song.
11. Still
If I had to put Tor Lundvall’s music into one type of category or genre, I wouldn’t really know what to do, because the sound is very original; at times borrowing from industrial music, while using unconventional, experimental sounds at others. This is the case with ‘Still’, this song takes the best from both of those respective genres and blends them together to create an interesting, melancholic piece of aural artwork.
12. Lost At Sea
The final track of Last Light; a piano is all that you will find here, and really it is all that is needed. The instrument alone has the ability to create amazing atmospheres and melodies, and Tor Lundvall uses it to its full potential. An utterly hopeless sound pervades the closing song of this wonderful album, captivating us for a short time, before departing once again.
Pros:
In every one of these songs, save for ‘Soft Bipolarity’, Tor Lundvall manages to craft an incredibly gloomy atmosphere that also contains a lot of beauty, and to express these beautiful elements very subtly, to the point where the listener must search for them at times to discover their sound; and that makes it all the more rewarding.
Cons:
I really can’t think of any that are notable.
Overall:
The depressive and captivating vocals, well-written lyrics, and interesting melodies combine to form a unique sound that is a blend of several different styles. One of the most impressive aspects of this album, in my opinion, is the band’s ability to create an impression of vast distance within their songs, to the point where the listener feels far away from everything else, and enveloped in the music. This is a truly excellent album, and I am really looking forward to hearing more from Tor Lundvall.
Val
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