Ulver : "Neverland"

This album was released on New Year's Eve, so it will count as a 2026 release. The first track serves as an introduction, featuring a spoken word sample played over ambient sounds. Piano leads into "Elephant Trunk." So far, it seems like they are stepping away from the synth wave 80s sounds of the past couple of releases that have been really strong in terms of songwriting. Though electronic sounds are still in play in a big way, the focus is just not as retrofitted. It has also been instrumental. It sounds like drug music, so perhaps there was something to those Century Media-fueled rumors. "Weeping Stone' does feel more focused on sounds than being a hooky song. 

It is clear from "People of the Hills" that they are dedicated to this more experimental direction. At times, it sounds more like the soundtrack to a weird sci-fi movie.  But this track is more like an idea they did not build into an actual song, feeling more like an intro for "They're Coming the Birds !" which finds more of a groove. Kristofer has such a great voice; it's hard for me to imagine why they would not want to make music that is vocal-focused. But I at least appreciate the mood of this one. "Hark Hark, the Dogs do Bark" feels like an exotic pop song in how it winds around. Then things begin to sail off into the haze of ambiance.

At least there is a defined groove that develops for "Pandora's Box." If you are not going to give me vocals, I at least need that. "Quivers in the Marrow" is less defined and more free-floating floating ambiance. Sadly, "Welcome to the Jungle" is not a cover of the Guns N' Roses song, as that might have been more interesting. The last song musically feels like an instrumental take on the direction they were heading with the previous albums. I will give this album an 8.5; it sounds great, and they weave together an incredible blend of sounds, but their vocal-oriented songwriting is more my thing.