Neøv (FIN)

Tickets: https://shop.ticketpay.de/5H5ZY55G

Among many talented and promising acts emerging from Finland’s burgeoning indie scene recently, there has been one name that has embodied the sound of this new wave of Nordic indie more than any other – NEØV. On their new record “Soft Atlas” they embrace all the virtues and trademarks that made them become ambassadors of Finnish indie pop in recent years, adding yet another layer of northern magic, soaring melodies and wistful poetry.

Since their formation back in 2008, brothers Anssi and Samuli Neuvonen have been constantly exploring their expansive sound, releasing four enrapturing albums so far. “This constellation allows us to express our vision freely and stay true to what kind of music we believe in. No compromises are needed,” the brothers say of their partnership. Their steps were impressive since starting out in a small town called Juankoski in the middle of the vast Finnish Lakeland. They were playing more and more festivals, touring through half of Europe and getting more and more radio airplay. Then Covid hit. And brought the band to a painstakingly brutal halt. “It was a test for us,” Anssi remembers. “How much do we believe in ourselves? What kind of music do we want to create? Usually, there’s been some kind of outer pull for our next thing – a confirmed studio session or tour dates, something to keep us busy. But this time we had to face ourselves with empty calendars. And as a result, we wanted to make an album we’ve always dreamed of, in the way we’ve dreamed of.”

That being said, they teamed up with Birgir Jón Birgisson (Sigur Ros, Björk) at legendary Sundlaugin studio in Iceland, fulfilling a lifelong dream of recording an album there. The result is a wonderful, bittersweet, achingly beautiful, soaring, floating work, instilled with a new aura of mystery, a texture of sorts that also permeates all of the Sigur Rós albums that came to life there.