Murya - Northern Lights (2019)

After a fantastic summer the gloomy atmosphere has finally hit in my part of the world. Luckily for me I've got good music to keep me company and I'm quite happy to see that a new label ‘Dyadik' is on the scene. You're probably no stranger to Touched Music, the brainchild of Martin Boulton, and the fantastic artwork that inevitably comes with the releases lovingly generated by David Watson aka Grid Pattern. Well this label is theirs and I couldn't think of a more fitting or talented artist to kick them off.

Murya is here to save me from all the grey skies with 'Northern Lights'. Very synaesthetic, he instantly lifts the mood with a whole 18 original compositions, a most generous contribution to the Autumnal wind-down.

The format is great with the majority of tracks coming in under the four-minute mark and never exceeding four and a half, the album allows for such a variety of music and ideas to be put across to the listener in the inevitably-limited amount of time we always have to spend with music. It makes things flow very well and my interest is always kept in the ever-changing melodies.

Shortly after 'Earth Science' begins it doesn't take you long to realise this is going to be something special, quickly changing to a different tone with 'Flux' - chords, chords and yet more chords, key changes abound set the scene for what is to come.

Already this is building on top of my love for all things Ochre, Bola & BOC, rapidly developing into a really powerfully-themed collection. I wonder if it was scored for some kind of epic that we will never get to see?

Something straight out of a 23rd-century funeral procession, 'Sometimes We Leave’ leaves me hoping that memorial services sound like this in the future. Solemn yet joyful, a real memory-invoker that will undoubtedly give you goosebumps. If it doesn't then there's probably something wrong with you.

Yet more diversity is spread about - 'Aurora Zone' has a wide bass that leaves subtle shockwaves, 'Snjokorn' throws unconventional structure into the ring all at the same time sounding like it came straight out of a Finnish forest, and ‘Children(m)' with the kind of happy feelings that only they can impart on you. Above all they never stray too far from the main theme of the album and I never feel lost.

There are some clear modern classics here. The sad electronic waltz of 'Vetrar Galdur' is an architect of suspense, so simple it's immediately inside your head. It's haunting like a tragic play, you know it's not going to end well but you're going to stay until the end. 'Mente hermosa' is another, a courteous beginning gives way to a forceful piece that triggers yet more goosebumps with its substantial phrasing.

Another favourite is 'Hugarr¢'. Maybe that unreleased epic I spoke of is actually an Icelandic tech-noir interpretation of Miami Vice and this is the soundtrack for it - I'd certainly watch it. There's something slightly Blade Runner about this that I can't quite put my finger on and I keep coming back to it.

After all of the emotions above, why not throw some more in? 'Northern Lights' closes with 'Heimferd' - a lovely major key and a lot of happiness means this track certainly isn't a 'goodbye', more like a 'we'll meet again', and I certainly hope that Murya comes back to make us all happy again.

150 physical copies will be available on Dyadik with 5 of those donated to Touched Music with the proceeds going to Macmillan Cancer Support. And of course if you miss out on those then there's always the digital version for your pleasure!