The ‘folk’ on show here very
much has its roots in European tradition, rather than, say, the NYC folk
scene. It has layered, ethereal, hymnal qualities to it. Indeed, Chants from Another Place is a most apt
title. The ‘chanting’ reaches its peak on the a-cappella ‘Ostbjorka Brudlat’, on
which Hultén overlays multiple vocal
tracks to build a grand place in which to lose oneself. With no instruments in sight.
Elsewhere, melancholic ‘The Floating World’ is nothing but instrument; indeed, nothing but piano. For someone known as a
‘guitarist’, it is clear that Hultén’s
vocal talent and musicianship (beyond just the 6-string) are outstanding.
There are a few more ‘rock’
moments, when the electric guitar suddenly gets plugged in, such as on the
meticulously constructed but brief ‘Outskirts’. The main focus, though, is a combination of hymnal, experimental folk
(see ‘Holy Woods’; ‘Wasteland’), and more straight-ahead pop-folk (see my
favourite track on this, or any, album in 2020, the fantastic ‘Next Big Day’).
Added to all this is a
wonderful presentation and persona: one that is notably different from, but is nonetheless a
continuation of, Hultén’s goth
mystique from his Tribulation days. As a solo performer he is androgynous and beautiful, subsumed in culture-blending bombastic
consumes and artful make-up. Yet, when performing, he also has a slight snarl and harsh stare that undercut the beautiful pageantry. Quite simply, folk music doesn’t usually put on a show like this. I can’t wait to see Hultén live, whenever such things again become possible. Until then, his full performance from the 2018 Fishing on
Orfű festival is available on YouTube. I’d urge you to watch it.
Chants
from Another Place
was released in March. It became my album of the year almost immediately and
has stayed at the summit ever since. Frankly – however much I’ve loved Phoxjaw’s wonderful debut – nothing
else released in 2020 came near to catching this record.