Benjamin Finger - Woods of Broccoli
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Label: How Is Annie
Year: 2009
Format: CD
Wow, what a lovely release for Benjamin Finger to celebrate the debut of his solo career – when not working as one half of the illustrious, Norwegian duo Beneva vs Clark Nova. “Woods of Broccoli” is released on Oslo-based label, How Is Annie Records and the track bearing the album title opens the show with an organic, tantalizing splendor of reverberating, strummed guitar sounds – very melodic and airy – like a breeze through the treetops.
Coarser, the lovely female vocals of Therese Aune tangle with “Little Sparkling Mist” (as seen later also on Howl (at the Buffalo Girls)) – set to Finger’s own treading of the guitar. The melodies feel very personal with associations to child-like surroundings and the adlibbing of Aune hovers gently over the melody. “Unestablished Gossip” starts with a tranquil piano part and shuffling, electronic sounds – somewhat in the tradition of Goldmund – with vocal samples reminiscent of some Middle Eastern chant which repeats occasionally while the simple piano tune wanders on undisturbed. “Failing Watermath” is one of the highlights – where Finger’s own, transformed vocals are spred out across mesmerising strummed guitar chords – very like the ambient jewel of Beneva vs Clark Nova’s earlier works on Jetsam/Flotsam.
The thoughtful, deliberation over the guitar – electronically processed and fused with ample amounts of field recordings, found sounds and other nifty instruments – are at the heart of Benjamin Finger’s compositions and it is easy to see elements of Beneva vs Clark Nova at play here, but also to study the details of Benjamin Finger as a solo artist and his affinity for long, floating, evocative melodies of melancholic and ambient pop, sometimes with soothing vocals. For “Cat Youled Weak Jaws” (another personal highlight), Inga Lill’s light, vocals – very reminiscent of Kirsty Hawkshaw – provide an angelic aria over Finger’s melody which immediately brings Goldmund, Sylvain Chaveau and Peter Broderick to mind. In conclusion “Watermelon Deserts” sees the third guest vocalist, Anastasia, contribute with more sweet, female vocals and the journey is wrapped up in the concluding “Howl (At The Buffalo Girls)” in similar style with lush, warm electronics over guitar-driven melodies, twinkling sounds and mysterious, adlibbing and vocal trickery by Benjamin Finger’s female guests on vocals.
A must-hear, must-buy album if you didn’t already reach that conclusion. Here is the first music video from the album for the album opener, “Woods of Broccoli”.
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