TUSMØRKE -BALDERDOM (Karisma) (Release date: 20th March, 2026)

Press release: Norway's TUSMØRKE is Norwegian for twilight) once shared a stage with White Willow but their music has been described as darker and more primeval although still in the psychedelic progressive folk vein. A lengthy explanation is provided for the concept behind the album and I quote, “The passage of time is the future becoming the present. It moves forward in circles like a rolling wheel. Balder, Osiris and Jesus are all vegetation gods emulating the turn of the seasons in their eternal return. After the death of winter, life emerges anew. But not only this; there is also the promise of each dawn bringing a Better Day. According to Snorre, after the Fimbul Winter and Ragnarok, there is a new Earth. From the ashes emerges a better place. This holds also the idea of progress. It is at the core of being a prog band; each album is an improvement on the last, an exploration of new territory, a different perspective.” The four songs on side one came about in November 2022 for a winter solstice celebration at Oslo Badstuforening. Our take on this was that the solstice invites reflections on the relationship between night and day. Does the day spring out of the darkness of the preceding night or does the night follow and swallow the light of the day? Is it Saturday Night or Sunday Morning? Are we running from the past or catching up with the future? Singing in their native language “Svensk Drøm”

Review: The title track has flute and mellotron, very powerful, an overture of sorts. ‘Balderdom (Tres Jolie) is a catchy song with synths, flute and mellotron, multi-part vocals with imaginative drums and percussion. ‘Rerun of Forever (Stravinsky)’ has memorable vocal refrain, a synth break, some spaced-out ‘Dalek’ synth, very dramatic with heavy layered voices, a distinctive bass line driving it along, energised drumming and retro keyboard sounds, classic prog rock indeed! ‘Vi er et kollektiv’ is a high-octane folk song to begin with growing in power with multi-layered vocals, synth and propulsive drumming with retro organ at the end. The 21 minute long ‘Lidskjalv’ has existed as a demo since the 90s. Many versions have been made, but this is the first proper recording of the song. It is close to Yes at first with a guitar led folk dance section with hints of ELP in the synth textures and a vocal refrain of – is it Heyerdahl? There is sudden change to more of a folk-rock style after this. A King Crimson guitar style is also in evidence towards the end. You could probably write an essay on this one track as there is so much to take in and the time passes very quickly.

If you like lots of keyboard textures in the grand prog rock tradition, elements of classic folk rock, many twists and turns, assertive vocal choruses and refrains all sung in their native tongue, complicated key changes (I thought of a revved up Egg at times in the epic closing number), then you will love “Balderdom”. It will take two or more listens though to begin to fully appreciate the nuances of an outstanding album.