Common Eider, King Eider & Cober Ord – Palimpseste (Album – Cyclic Law)
Genre/Influences: Soundscape, cinematographic, dark-ambient, experimental.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: This album resulted from the common efforts and the fascination for nature between American project Common Eider, King Eider and the French project Cober Ord. Both have previously released some stuff on Cyclic Law. “Palimpseste” is ‘writing material, such as a parchment or tablet, used one or more times after earlier writings have been erased from it’. This album was recorded in different locations from the French Pyrenean. And that’s already what the previous Common Eider, King Eider album (cf. “Egrégore”) was all about.
Content: The album is an intimate exposure between 2 different projects, which have created a poignant sonic testimony from their stay in the French Pyrenean. The work has something humble, like a surreal ode to nature. Numerous field recordings have been mixed with electronics and self-made instruments. The sphere is dark, but never hostile. The sounds are icy, but never anguishing. “Palimpseste” is a dreamy, but mysterious voyage. Some passages are moving into a spooky sensation and especially “Reclamation Of Water” is worthy of examination. You will notice some deep vibrating vocal effects empowering this enigmatic track.
+ + + : Both projects are quite different and yet this album stands for a truly complementary result. The tracks have been meticulously elaborated. The atmosphere supporting the tracks is a noticeable element, which also creates an intimate feeling. That’s something I never experienced this way by listening to Common Eider, King Eider. There are multiple attention grabbers featured. I already mentioned “Reclamation Of Water” for the magic sound effects. I also have to mention both last cuts (cf. “Calling To The Feral Ones” and “As The Spirits Watch Over Us, We Reciprocate”) for creating a brilliant apotheosis to this work.
– – – : This work is not the most ‘typical’ release in the Common Eider, King Eider discography. That’s maybe what will hurt some of their fans.
Conclusion: It’s hard to define “Palimpseste”, but it sounds as very personal work filled with subtle- and emotional passages.
Best songs: “Calling To The Feral Ones” and “As The Spirits Watch Over Us, We Reciprocate”, “Reclamation Of Water”.
Rate: (8).
Artist: www.facebook.com/CommonEiderKingEiderCaribouPeople / www.facebook.com/cober.ord
Label: www.cycliclaw.com / www.facebook.com/cycliclaw
About Common Eider, King Eider & Cober Ord
Common Eider, King Eider is a dark ambient and drone project from San Francisco, California, formed in the mid-2000s. Its discography includes “How To Build A Cabin” (2007), “Figs, Wasps, And Monotremes” (2008), and the 2013 releases “Worn” and “Earth Liver”, followed by “Shrines For The Unwanted, Respite For The Cast Aside” (2017) and “Égrégore” (2019) on Cyclic Law.
Cober Ord is a dark ambient and pagan folk project from France, formed in 2013 by Yan Arexis and Yann Hagimont, working with handmade instruments, diaphonic voices and ritual-leaning dark ambient. Its releases include “Le Revers Du Soleil” (2014), “Et Ils Franchirent Le Seuil” (2017, Steelwork Maschine) and “Le Chant Des Ruines” (2018).
“Palimpseste”, released in 2020 on Cyclic Law, is the pair’s first joint album, recorded during a shared stay in the French Pyrenees.
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