A Temporary Soothing. Siv Jakobsen

It is almost three years to the day that I wrote about Siv Jacobsen's debut album 'The Nordic Mellow'. I ended it with words on how high the bar was put for her to jump over. She's jumping so I better start listening.

My initial response to A Temporary Soothing seems to have been the same as with 'The Nordic Mellow', I just did not hear a lot happening. Songs that sort of dragged themselves forward without anything setting them apart in any way.

My memory told me to pay attention any way, so I did and, once again, a rich world opened itself. Siv Jakobsen surrounds herself with subtle accompaniment that has little to do with modern music. All sorts of traditional, acoustic instruments envelope her voice. 'Fraud, Failure' has a full Celtic treatment, without becoming a traditional, Irish folk song in any way. This is Siv Jakobsen's song the whole way.

The result is a mixture of under cooled, Nordic singing and a warm environment that comes from, moderately warmer climes than Norway, her home country. An album to pay attention to, there's no other way to get truly acquainted to it. Listening is an absolute must. From that moment on a whole world opens itself to you.

Together with producer Chris Bond (Ben Howard) she recorded the songs she'd written in the winter after touring behind her debut album across the globe, in two sessions. In the songs she reflects on her life and experiences so far. This makes it a personal album and it's not difficult to gather the intimacy that comes with topics close to someone. Bond has put that cloak of intimacy expertly around the 12 songs on A Temporary Soothing.

Promo photo: Jørgen Nordby

What a strange title for this album. The warmth coming from it, contradicting the Oslo winter of writing, is a soothing for life for those willing to listen and appreciate it for what it is, a beautiful album. The songs on the album started with Siv Jakobsen musing about the concept that she must be a sad person as she writes sad songs. And that when people meet her they are surprised to meet a happy person.

Personally I do not take these songs as sad. They are serious, extremely serious in some cases, but not downcast. In fact the warmth that comes from them lifts me up. The beauty forces me to shake off the rest of the world for a while. By allowing myself to do this I can enter Siv Jakobsen's musical world and truly enjoy it. Most songs are of an exquisite delicateness, where singer and listener can merge as much as possible.

All this makes A Temporary Soothing an album for special times and not for all moments of the day. In those special moments it will excel and grow and grow. Nordic beauty indeed.

Wo.

You can listen to and order A Temporary Soothing here:

https://sivjakobsen.bandcamp.com/album/a-temporary-soothing


or listen to our Spotify Playlist to find out what we are writing about:

https://open.spotify.com/user/glazu53/playlist/6R9FgPd2btrMuMaIrYeCh6?si=KI6LzLaAS5K-wsez5oSO2g