Ring
Popsongs From the Place Where the Woods Turn to Love
Krank Diskoz

Filip Ring Andersen is back with another LP, Popsongs From the Place Where the Woods Turn to Love, which is his 4th since the (mini) debut album Incense, Spice and Late Late Nights (Krank, later re-released by the French label Dajeeling Sounds) less than three years ago. Spiritual Need (also Krank) and Great Lonely Mood (Hand/Eye Systems, USA), and now: another a-ring-thing, another burning ring of fire.

Chinachess for the Dead stumbles out, like a heliumized Neil Young, showing the great charm of Ring. Loose and laid-back, low and lo-fi. With a really painfilled guitar. He's sounding as minimalistic as ever, with some more gentle samples and loops. The sparse instrumentation is as close to brilliant as can get, with incredible strange sounds filling the air around his songs. Down Down Down sounds alsmost like Neutral Milk Hotel, other times Ring relates to names like Will Oldham, Smog, and Songs:Ohia. Is There Any Small Popsongs Left For Me (where does he get those titles!?) is a fucked-up Leonard Cohen being mind-controlled by Syd Barrett (wherever he is), while Place of Relaxing Dreams breaks off almost into something apocalyptic. Some of the 13 tracks are maybe not so unlike each other, but this also works sort of like a web of songs sticking together in a dreamlike landscape. A Song For Love is a very fine duet with Rosalinn Andersen, one of a few guests helping out on the album. Morning Salad Is Too Much Coffee (another one of those titles...) is another hairy story, sneaking up on you. Great. The finest pop song on this LP might be Peace of Mind. Then there's fascinating, wilder stuff like Madness Is Something I Can't Explain, or Psalm For A Lost Film. Not to forget the wonderful The Dead Dream Of Workingman Heros (sic), and the quiet closing track Unborn Son. Ring presents music way off middle of the road, but if you're not afraid of walking darker paths out there in the woods you'll be able to pick up gold on your way.

Ring spreads joyful sadness, inner-space feelings straight from the heart. Psychedelic realism for now.

Copyright © 2001 Håvard Oppøyen