Gidge - Tundra

A Closer Listen

Swedish duo Gidge (Autumn Bells) continues its hot streak with Tundra, a five-track EP that contains three potential singles.  “Bleak” made an early impact when it was released back in 2022; its inclusion here allows fans to own it on vinyl.  A subtle selection, featuring the understated vocals of Maggie Thornton, the track withdraws its instrumentation for short stretches to reveal a bed of flowing water below. The tone is not exactly “bleak,” though it is plaintive; Tracey Thorn would be proud.

Next to appear was “The Fells,” which reflects Gidge’s love for geography.  The piece sounds haunted, due to a buried vocal sample; after showcasing rhythm and beats in its front half, the duo temporarily drops the drums to focus on guitar, then re-injects them, harder and louder, at 3:19.  We can imagine this as a big club moment.  “Gausta” is the obvious follow-up, referring (we believe) to a Norwegian ski resort; the timbre is appropriately chilled, guitar nearly frozen, vocal samples imitating a hesitant vocalist, teeth chattering from the cold.  The drums are constantly mutating, layer upon layer, while field recordings again make a welcome appearance.

The remaining tracks, although less radio friendly, make the EP sound more like a mini-album than a collection of tracks.  They reflect the feeling of walking a great expanse, as depicted on the cover.  “Grit” is less than two minutes long – the duo calls it an interlude – but the guitar picks up on the Western theme of the opener.  One imagines a wagon train slowly rolling, its occupants downcast after yet another poor harvest.  “Whiteout” continues this winter theme; ironically, this is the track we would have titled “Bleak.”  This album closer wraps the listener in a swath of glacial ambience, thick and emotive until its soft, sparse conclusion.

In terms of releases, Gidge is frustratingly patient, but the end result is that every release is solid.  In addition, each occupies its own sonic territory, from the ambient Lulin to the effervescent New Light. Tundra is as a slice of mood: worn out, worn down, but still going, still searching for a place to call home.  (Richard Allen)