Pjusk - Sval (2010)

Pjusk is Rune Sagevik and Jostein Dahl Gjelsvik from the west coast of Norway – both from small villages close to nature. The sound of Pjusk is inspired by the harsh Norwegian weather and wild landscape. At the center point of the collaboration between the two is an old cabin high up in the mountains. This is where most of the music of Pjusk is made – framed by snowy peaks and the sound of cold streams.

Sval is the second full-length release by Pjusk. Their debut album, Sart (12k1042, 2007), came as a very welcome surprise to listeners and was heralded in the press as an incredibly strong, deep, and mature album for a debut artist. Boomkat (UK) called it “an album which truly stands out, and will no doubt incite the sound of jaws dropping for the rest of the year.” While Sart explored a number of the different paths that Pjusk takes – from deep ambient, to near-IDM rhythmics and back to guitar-twinged experimentations – Sval is an absolutely focused album that sees Pjusk settle into the style they are most comfortable creating: lush, wet, textured ambience. Restrained and warm, and keeping the barren Norwegian landscape close to heart, Pjusk has quite effectively drawn the connection between the warmly lit cabin in the mountains and the polar environs right outside their door.

Deep, deep textures that stretch the horizon, beautiful wisps of ghostly vocals, and murky percolating beats that seem trapped beneath thick layers of ice – Pjusk have stripped away any excesses from Sart and delivered a wonderfully singular vision with Sval.