NOWHERE OR TAMMENSAARI

Peaceful, idyllic vignettes and hushed vocal harmonies rising over folk-rooted, acoustic bodied compositions. I Am Oak are like a warm fireside around which tales are told. For this particular collection, the tale centres around a trip to Finland. The dramatic Scandinavian landscapes reflecting back from the fjord-like ambience of the production and contented isolation of the delivery. Occasionally, electric guitars and digital tones flicker in the upper atmosphere of songs like the magnetic storming of the northern lights. This is the first album that Thijs Kuijken made together with his band, rather than recording solo. More dynamic and darker than previous outings, it was undoubtedly a product of its surroundings, injecting a little of Scandi noir into proceedings.