Silje Nes - Ames Room
[FatCat]

FatCat have a real knack for unearthing unheard artists and obscure beautiful music (a quick flick through their back catalogue will confirm this; Animal Collective, The Twilight Sad, Mum - we could go on) and latest signing, the Norwegian multi-instrumentalist Silje Nes fits in nicely with the label's ethos.

There are many moments on her debut album Ames Room that are, if not intentionally, comparible to Luma Lane; the bedroom-pixie who released just a lone 10" mini album for Twisted Nerve back in 2003 (read our review). As one moment we hear twinkling xylophones and pop guitars, or glitchy, home-fi electronica and voice manipulation, to recorders, flutes and typewriters.

Recording over a three year period probably goes a long way to explaining the vast variations in sound and influences here, as her own tastes and talent would have developed over time; the results are like the sound of a thousand bands from every continent over the last 5 decades, getting together to record music.

So many influences can more often than night have messy results, but Ames Room flows effortlessly into a very coherent listen. It's like a crazed musician with ADHD let loose on a toy-chest of instruments, a laptop and random objects used for percussion; nothing is ever predictable and this mystery bag approach of what will you get next is beautiful. Highly Recommended.

Ames Room Track Listing:

01. Over All
02. Drown
03. Shapes, Electric
04. Ames Room
05. Giant Disguise
06. Dizzy Street
07. Long Shadows Left Around
08. Bright Night Morning
09. Recurring Dream
10. Searching, White
11. Magnetic Moments Of Spinning Objects
12. Melt
13. Escape
14. No Bird Can