Richardine Bartee
‘Folktronika Schmolkfonika’, an experimental album by Horten, Norway-native Metaspion that blends Folk and Industrial, comes out June 8 through an independent label called, Push Records.
Before listening to a presentation by an artist I hadn’t supported in the past, I allow the music to speak for itself, in turn, speaks to me. Press releases are good, but not for connecting to music, in the way that I do. Within moments of walking into the album, everything that the title ‘Folktronika Schmolkfonika’ describes is accurate.
At the time, my ears transported unique concepts to my mind with supporting context like Old English, Medieval and Industrial Revolution. Visuals started to play in the receptors somewhere between my eyes and brain that helps me to imagine, or feel. In connection to what I heard, all I could think was that the track ‘Heist’ would play during a man versus himself moment occurs in a movie as the main character finds a way to overcome his/her self-inflicted destruction. It’s an adrenaline-pumping number with minimal vocals that do not interrupt the story the production wants to tell.
Contrary to the party-starter (‘Heist’), the following track (‘Not Everything Is Terrible’) is subtle. It’s equivalent to the cooling down moments after an intense workout. By the time the third record (‘Old Rules Don’t Apply’) plays, I imagine what would Björk want to say over this production. As a side thought, as I listened, more of what I mentioned earlier about the fiddle and what I called an ‘Old English’ influence is particularly evident by this junction. ‘Tveitaaen’ is infectious, making you fight yourself for wanting to slide across a floor, although you know you’ve had a long and you need to get some rest. ‘Render Me Happy’ is absolutely nuts!
Overall, the Metaspion album, ‘Folktronika Schmolkfonika’, is polished, concise in sound and well-executed. It doesn’t struggle to introduce a fresh take on the dichotomic genres. To best describe what I’ve heard, would be to say it falls somewhere between the lines of the ‘Rise Up’ radio station on Pandora and Excision. I am in love!
