Erland Cooper - Hether Blether

Mit „Hether Blether“ hat Erland Cooper nun seine der Insel Orkney gewidmete Trilogie abgeschlossen. Nachdem sich „Solan Goose“ (2018) und „Sule Skerry“ (2019) thematisch mit den Elementen Luft und Wasser auseinandergesetzt hatten, drehen sich die zehn neuen Songs um das Land seiner Heimatinsel (und die Menschen, die diese besiedeln). 

Das Lokalkolorit erhält dieses wirklich wundervolle, zwischen Folk, Ambient und zeitgenössischer Klassik schwebende Album durch die eingewobenen Stimmen der Bewohner Orkneys, Liedtitel im lokalen Dialekt und Kollaborationen mit örtlichen und schottischen Kunstschaffenden, wie Alex Kozobolis, der die drei Videos zu „Longhope“, „Skreevar“ und „Peedie Breeks“ beisteuerte, dem Dichter und Schriftsteller John Burnside oder der Musikerin Kathryn Joseph.

One voice that features rarely across the trilogy is Cooper’s own. He knows that this project is something larger than himself. Cooper is just the vessel through which the story tells itself, and it’s this lack of ego and complete commitment to these people and places that he loves that sets him apart as a master storyteller.
When the voices aren’t telling stories, the celestial strings blow in with their intricate tales, punctuated by the occasional lapping of percussion and piano and, when the wind really gets up, a roaring beat.
A lot of these pieces can and will be loved alone, as gorgeous ambient wallpaper. For many that will be enough. Like a photograph of a battered, beautiful cliff. But to take a song from this record alone is to cup your hands around your eyes and enjoy the rocks only. Instead, put your hands down and enjoy the whole bay. The waves galloping in from the horizon, then slowing to caressing the sand and the birds cawing overhead. This trilogy is a vast, lush, mess of movement, colour and life.
(NARC.)

The albums opener, ‘Noup Head’, tells the story of a young girl lost on the island’s who, when found again, is grown with a family of her own, forever out of reach to the family that lost her. Kathryn Joseph recites this story beautifully, with the assistance of Kevin Cormac towards the songs climax, it’s a wonderful opener.
The songs ‘Rousay’ and ‘Peedie Breeks’ continue along this albums stream of peaceful bliss, with both tracks being enveloped by tranquil instrumentals. On ‘Peedie Breeks’ Coopers mellow vocals are accompanied by the soothing synthesizers of UK producer Benge. The synths are later joined by a wistful melody of strings. The strings achieve new levels of natural beauty as they were played using birds feathers instead of a traditional bow. These, along with Coopers down to earth vocals, amalgamate as a near perfect, complexly simplistic song. (…)
Hether Blether is by no means a perfect album, but it is close. It won’t attract everyone. But, for me, it was a wonderful listening experience, dissimilar to anything I’ve heard before. It’s the perfect escape if you ever need 35 minutes away from the chaos of the current age, and i’m very excited to see what Erland Cooper does next.
(The Courier)

Cooper’s trilogy is an achievement, because it tackles memory and place with emotive and sometimes nostalgic reverie without ever becoming kitschy, or turning into a glorified advert for the local tourist board. A deep understanding of, and affection for, the subject matter, coupled with a huge musical curiosity makes these records an unmitigated triumph, and with Hether Blether, Cooper saves the best for last.
(The Quietus)