Exit North: “Book Of Romance And Dust” (2019) CD Review

Book Of Romance And Dust, the debut release from Exit North, is an intriguing and unusual album, one you need to listen to without distraction, preferably late at night when your defenses are down and the world is quiet. It is beautiful and haunting, and moves at its own pace. I was captivated from the moment the opening track, “Bested Bones,” began. Lead vocalist Thomas Feiner has a somber and rich voice that seems to resonate in our own chests as we listen. Plus, this track features some alluring, ethereal backing vocals by Fyfe Dangerfield, Robbie Lloyd-Wilson and Hedda Älveby. “Another year/Upon the back/Bygone ghosts/Upon the shoulders.” This song builds into something gorgeous at times, aided by the presence of a string section. The band is made up of Thomas Feiner on lead vocals, trumpet, piano, guitar and harmonium; Steve Jansen on keys, drums, percussion and backing vocals; Charles Storm on synthesizers, guitar, bass; and Ulf Jansson on piano and keys. Joining them on this release are Max Wulfsson on violin, Hanna Eliasson on violin, Tuula Fleivik Nurmo on viola, Jung Hyun Byun on cello, and Hans Adler on double bass, as well as other guests on various tracks.

“Bested Bones” is followed by “Short Of One Dimension.” This music isn’t rushing anywhere. It is like a well that we willingly sink into, let its waters wrap its arms around us, envelop us, immersing us in a warm darkness. Mattias Tell adds some good work on acoustic guitar on this track, and there is also some nice percussion. “Lay your hand across/Rid this mind of thought.” Then electronic sounds mix with the trumpet to create an unusual and fascinating landscape. Hedda Älveby contributes backing vocals. “Sever Me” has a gentle feel at first, a sound tender, yet tentative, with a pain within. The vocals then rise beautifully, while the deeper tones of the strings work gorgeously in contrast. “The hurt I can disguise/The bruises hide/Far below.”

“Passenger’s Wake” begins somewhat softly, but after a minute or so suddenly kicks in with an electronic force, an unexpected change, particularly after the first three tracks. “I’ve been riding this train/And I’ve come all this way/I won’t be heading back home.” This one too then has more relaxed moments, and yet there remains this sense of something crouching and ready to spring forth. It is an exciting track. It leads straight into “North,” a rather pretty instrumental piece led by the piano. This one too moves at its own pace, pulling us into its orbit, its slow rotation. This is the album’s only instrumental piece. Richard Hauer plays guitar on this one.

In “Lessons In Doubt,” Thomas Feiner’s voice reaches out to us from some strange place that is nearby. And then when this track gets going, it becomes undeniably beautiful. “And when the bricks tumble/I’ll send it all falling/And then hope/I leave it behind me/Pray they won’t find me/After all.” This track makes interesting use of silence as well, pauses that we seem to inhabit ourselves. The work on keys is gorgeous, as is the string section. This is one of my favorite tracks. It is followed by “Spider,” which features some wonderful percussion. Then at the beginning of “Losing,” Thomas Feiner hauntingly intones, “Save the world,” and it is difficult to keep from wondering if the world is already gone. Then an angelic voice joins us, possibly to help us save the world, or to ease our passage to another world. Perhaps it is up to us. That is Anna Bylund on vocals. Halfway through this track, it drifts into another space. It is like we are standing still, mute witnesses to some irreversible change. The album concludes with “Another Chance,” which eases in, and gives us the sensation that we are hovering above the world, taking it all in one last time before the inevitable end. Yet there is hope within.

CD Track List

1. Bested Bones
2. Short Of One Dimension
3. Sever Me
4. Passenger’s Wake
5. North
6. Lessons In Doubt
7. Spider
8. Losing
9. Another Chance 

Book Of Romance And Dust was released on CD on April 12, 2019 (and appears to have been released digitally on October 1, 2018).