It's clear Varg has a strong following; on the Bandcamp page for this third release in his Flora series, both the double-LP vinyl and cassette printings of his latest are completely sold out.
But if you're not 15 and if you have the wherewithal to debate that Trent Reznor was not, like, waaaay ahead of his time, then there's a good chance you will find this 13-track release a colossal bore.
Despite bringing in multiple collaborators, Jonas Rönnberg has produced precious little in the way of innovation. This album is competent, but mostly uninteresting.
The album starts with "Champagne Ceremonies." It's not quite darkwave, but it drags all the same baggage with echoing drum machine a la Sisters of Mercy and one of the cheesier synth lines you'll hear this year.
It's not all bad: "Fonus," with Drew McDowall and Alessandro Cortini, is a fairly substantial ambient piece, and "Forver 21/Vallum" includes a challenging spoken word contribution from Chloe Wise. A couple of tracks — "Gore-Tex" and "Stockholm City" — might even tempt you onto the dance floor. But you're liable to lose interest two or three minutes in. They're repetitive, and unnecessarily drawn out.
Nordic Flora Series Pt. 3: Gore-Tex City feels rushed and, as a result, lacking enough substance to justify its runtime.
(Northern Electronics)But if you're not 15 and if you have the wherewithal to debate that Trent Reznor was not, like, waaaay ahead of his time, then there's a good chance you will find this 13-track release a colossal bore.
Despite bringing in multiple collaborators, Jonas Rönnberg has produced precious little in the way of innovation. This album is competent, but mostly uninteresting.
The album starts with "Champagne Ceremonies." It's not quite darkwave, but it drags all the same baggage with echoing drum machine a la Sisters of Mercy and one of the cheesier synth lines you'll hear this year.
It's not all bad: "Fonus," with Drew McDowall and Alessandro Cortini, is a fairly substantial ambient piece, and "Forver 21/Vallum" includes a challenging spoken word contribution from Chloe Wise. A couple of tracks — "Gore-Tex" and "Stockholm City" — might even tempt you onto the dance floor. But you're liable to lose interest two or three minutes in. They're repetitive, and unnecessarily drawn out.
Nordic Flora Series Pt. 3: Gore-Tex City feels rushed and, as a result, lacking enough substance to justify its runtime.
