Myrkur has been hyped for months as a mysterious project that came out of nowhere. However, it was recently revealed that this one-woman black metal project is actually the work of Amalie Bruun, a Danish pop singer and member of Ex Cops. Her solo material sounds like Grimes to a degree, while Ex Cops has a modern band that really likes 90's bands vibe. Despite her less-than-metal catalog thus far, she is apparently an avid black metal fan so this EP isn't actually that surprising.
Her beautiful voice feels very natural in previous settings, which makes it stand out more in this context. The juxtaposition of the blast beats, discordant chords, and overall grim aura of this album makes her singing much seem prettier. When they come together the result is pretty great. Harsh vocals rarely enter the picture, but when Brunn employs the technique, it adds to the depth of the EP and distances herself further from her double life as a pop singer.
I'd liken the overall sound to the bipolar blackgaze band Amesoeurs, one of Neige many projects that sounded similar to Alcest. The opener "Ravnens Banner" sounds like something Amesoeurs singer Audrey Sylvain would lead, while "Må Du Brænde i Helvede" sounds like all Neige-fronted evil.
The sound of the record feels intentionally lo-fi as a nod to second-wave black metal, which is fine. This is an aesthetic many appreciate, and try to replicate. I think it can work, however some mixes are a bit off. Reverb-laden guitars or vocals often drown out everything else during some of the instrumental sections.
I see this album being written off as a trend-chasing release, but it has legs, and plenty to allow allowing it to stand out in the atmospheric black metal pack.
Brunn hopes to release a full record Myrkur eventually and I personally look forward to more.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32KB0epn21E[/youtube]
