Artist: Nortfalke
Album: De Widde Juvver
Label: New Era Productions
Release date: December 2023
Towards the very end of 2023, Nortfalke released their latest album, De Widde Juvver, which somehow managed to fly under most people's radar. This was probably due to the fact that even after almost a decade of activity, this project from the Netherlands operates in true dungeon synth fashion, with no website, newsletters, social media presence or any other overt form of communication with the wider world. While I entirely applaud the attitude, I couldn't quite make my peace with this fact, so I'm writing this somewhat belated review in the hope of increasing awareness of this album, because it deserves attention on multiple levels and is far from just another run-of-the-mill (if you'll excuse the pun) dungeon synth release.
The first striking thing about De Widde Juvver is the cover art, which depicts a mystical creature of ambiguous gender shrouded in mist in what looks like a field, rather in contrast to the relatively simple black-and-white covers of previous Nortfalke releases. My research into the meaning of the album title revealed some more context - widde juvvers, more commonly known as witte wieven in standard Dutch, are part of Dutch folklore and denote female ghosts, typically shrouded in white, who remain trapped in the earthly realm, unable to find rest for a variety of reasons, not unlike les dames blanches in French folk stories. It's no accident that Nortfalke entitled the album in the Low Saxon dialect native to the artist's home city of Groningen, as there's a very strong feel of local storytelling here. Nortfalke is notorious for publicly declaring the project's desire for dungeon synth to return to its darker roots, and De Widde Juvver is a wonderful expression of that credo - I honestly don't remember the last time I heard an artist blend dungeon synth with dark ambient and traditional folk elements so beautifully. Despite its ambitious running time of 45+ minutes across just two tracks (a tall order for anyone's attention span), the flow of the album is engrossing and dynamic, effortlessly transporting the listener across time & space into the misty lowlands of the northern Netherlands of yore. The atmosphere is greatly enhanced by Nortfalke's willingness to use sounds and instruments not usually associated with dungeon synth, with a clear focus on the artistic vision rather than any genre constraints. Melancholic synth passages blend into a deeper, more obscure sonic background that results in a mental image akin to the album cover itself, simultaneously calm and brooding, unnerving yet with an undeniable allure to it.
As the echoing chimes of the last few minutes bring the album to a close, there's a strong sense of having heard a beautifully crafted story. De Widde Juvver is an absolute tour-de-force that once again proves Nortfalke's status as one of the very best dungeon synth acts out there. In fact, it might be my favourite dungeon synth release ever, for its sheer prowess in weaving together a tapestry of sounds that offers such a gripping experience. An absolute recommendation and a must-hear.
Rating: 10/10
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