Gåte is entering a new phase in its history.
Shortly after representing their home country, Norway, at the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, the band led by Gunnhild Sundli (vocals), Magnus Robot Børmark (guitar/keyboards), Jon Even Schärer (drums/vocals), and Mats Paulsen (bass/vocals) signed with Season of Mist, the label through which they released their seventh album, Sigil.
The band is joined by John Stenersen on moraharpa, keyboards, and backing vocals during live performances.
A crystalline yet mysterious sound opens the album, making Bergteken my first introduction to the band, and while Gunnhild’s enchanting voice quickly takes over, it’s the percussion followed by rather ethereal riffs that really intrigues me. They’re complemented by some keyboards and folk instruments, making the track a hybrid of Folk and Post-Rock, a blend that intensifies on Oskorsreia, the next track, which is punctuated by bursts of distortion that give it a much more energetic, if somewhat jerky, rhythm. It surprises with its highly catchy finale, just as Sannsiger does with its gentleness, creating a real contrast between the two before it becomes a bit heavier, especially when the vocals intertwine before moving on to Nokon, where the Folk roots immediately immerse us in their mystical world. Closing our eyes helps us imagine ourselves in the midst of a pagan ritual, but it is eventually cut short, allowing Bòd frå djupet to bring back a sense of gentleness as it progresses slowly, with a few touches of saturation lingering in this hazy atmosphere. Strandvaskar then takes over, feigning a build-up to its climax only to reignite the momentum, then letting us catch our breath for a few moments before Songen charms us with its simplicity, carried by the vocals while the instrumental remains fairly minimalist. Another fairly calm yet progressive introduction for Aude, the next track, which remains driven by the vocalist while the riffs don’t really kick in until the second half, offering heavy, haunting tones that carry our minds to Mi Jord and its unsettling sounds. The track eventually becomes a bit more aggressive, with electronic elements joining the rhythm section, once again creating a contrast with the final composition, Jostedalsrypa, which remains very gentle and features a deeply soothing duet between keyboards and vocals to close out the album.
Although Gåte is quite far removed from my usual tastes, the band infuses Sigil with a rather pure and organic energy, turning some tracks into true hymns to gentleness, while others offer more liveliness. A wonderful discovery.
75/100