Starsetz is songwriter/ producer Cecilie Brask and drummer Tomas Ortved. The album also features a young jazz saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist/producer Teis Ortved (Musvit), and a classical violinist Thera Ortved. It seems to be a family affair; husband, wife and the kidz.
The EP ‘Flickering Light’ contains a set of six songs each of which has its own story and mood with what they call “simple lyrics” in English about human life in all its fragility and beauty. It’s about lost lives, dead animals, lost relationships and lost meaning, – a lot of loss – but also about love and hope. A Flickering Light.
I can think of one part of the world where it would be especially apt, right now.
You know, as soon as I read that my mind turned to the concluding track on the 2024 Nightwish album ‘Yesterwynde’, called ‘Lanternlight’. We’ve reviewed it and the video and you’ll recall that breathtaking moment when a lantern tied to a tree suddenly flickers on, continuing a theme that there is life after death in the form of the objects the deceased was associated with.
Approaching this song from that angle (and the opening lyrics are so reminiscent) added even more value to what is already an impressive piece of work.
These ‘Bright eyes’ haven’t been extinguished and don’t burn pale here even though the subject matter is the transience of life and the object may no longer be with us, depending on how you interpret the lyric. (It appears it relates to a boyfriend in another life, who died young).
All of which turns my mind to another brilliant song video, Weyes Blood’s ‘Grapevine’ and the flickering eyes of the entity that pursues the singer across the desert, and which one presumes is the essence of what was her partner.
Starsetz are certainly in the very, very best of company.
Musically it is a very moody piece, potentially a section of a film score; jazzy new wave trip hop folk in style if you can imagine such a genre bender and they’ve been compared to Roxy Music which is a reasonable approximation.
Part of the reason for that is an unorthodox (bearing in mind what follows) sax intro here, but it’s one that made me think not of Andy Mackay as much as of Wesley Magoogan, who was Hazel O’Connor’s saxophonist on ‘Will you’. And that song does have something in common with ‘Flickering Light’.
In brief if you can imagine Roxy Music being commissioned to write the music for an episode of Twin Peaks you’ve got a handle on it.
And if that concept floats your boat do be sure to check out the whole EP.
This is the first release in a planned trilogy.
(Continues after the Spotify Link)
The EP musicians:
Cecilie Brask: lyrics/music, vocals, guitar, synthesiser, mix & producing.
Tomas Ortved: drums & percussion
Teis Ortved: saxophone, bass, guitar, piano, synthesiser, add. producing
Thera Ortved: violins
Mastered by Brian Mørk Hansen
Find them on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/starsetzmusic/
Bandcamp (song): https://starsetz.bandcamp.com/track/flickering-light
