BJ Nilsen - The Invisible City

BJ NILSEN - THE INVISIBLE CITY

(Touch)

BJ Nilsen is a Swedish sound and recording artist, and is one of the more notable figures producing music for Touch. There is a cerebral element to his music, much of which utilizes slow-moving drones and electronically modified sounds to create differing sensations of time and space. An interesting aspect of Nilsen’s music is the fact that despite using static hums, hisses, and drones, most sounds he employs either come from live instrumentation or samples taken from nature. Much of the instrumentation—from viola to electric guitar—are so highly processed that they are unrecognizable. The same is true for his field recordings. One would be hard pressed to identify such varying sounds as birdsongs, chairs dragged across the floor, buzzing insects, and “dead trees leaning against each other.”  

Before I continue, however, a brief caveat is in order. I have never been particularly fond of pure noise or drone music. Much of it I find inaccessible, boring, or difficult to listen to. The only drone-based music I usually enjoy contrasts such textured backgrounds with haunting and beautiful melodies. In “The Invisible City,” however, Nilsen forgoes the creation of such melodies. Instead, he creates soundscapes that foreground drones, static hums, and other noises. As such, at first listen I thought that I would not like this album.  

But “The Invisible City” surprised me. The album actually works quite well and is an enjoyable listen. It has a minimalist feel, where finely detailed sounds are combined to create a sense of depth without feeling overdone or over-layered. This is a well executed, thought provoking, and interesting album that takes the listener on a journey through soundscapes that are at times quite peaceful, and other times both empty and somewhat ominous. The static hum, electronic drones, and cold pulses bring to mind the inner workings of a postmodern world, where quietly humming machines have taken over humanity’s daily activities.   

The album particularly shines with the longer tracks. Nilsen takes ample time to develop them fully, creating a sense of multiple builds and releases. Perhaps the best track on the album is “Virtual Resistance,” which uses static hisses and samples of footsteps on the snow to disquieting effect. The opening track, “Gravity Station,” effectively contrasts light electronic drones with heavier distortions. And “Gradient” creates warmer, yet lonesome, soundscapes that bring to mind fantasies of deep space exploration. The shorter tracks, too, are quite interesting, but do not carry the same punch as the longer ones. This is because it is the very detailed nature of the tracks that make them interesting.  

“The Invisible City” is most definitely not for everyone. But if you have an open mind regarding noise, dark ambient, or experimental music, I heartily recommend checking this out. If nothing else, BJ Nilsen is changing my opinion of noise music.   

Jeremy Yellen