Pauline Hogstrand is a viola player and composer presently based in Copenhagen. Áhkká, her second solo release, is made up of two long electroacoustic tracks, and full of wonderful minimalist drone. The pieces are intricate with subtle nuances that engulf the listener with transcendental tones and are rich in detail and full of surprises; it’s easy to get lost in the sounds. Music like this can be hard to describe since it doesn’t follow ‘traditional’ rules, and forgoes melody or ‘catchiness’ in favor of tones and moods that are most discernible with deep, immersive listening. There is a general misconception that creating this type of music is easy; however, a lot of people don’t understand what really makes something like this work, and how to make it interesting. Hogstrand brings a high level of care and sophistication in her compositions. It is impressive, really gorgeous stuff.

Warm Winters Ltd