A new track from Norwegian act The Wit, “”If you ain’t got nothing to do (don’t do it here)”” showcases twinkling keys and brisk acoustics to start, giving the track a refreshing, spirited feel from the get-go. The fluttering folk-pop aesthetic reminds me fondly of Camera Obscura. The escalation of percussive and key-laden intensity around the one-minute mark plays nicely, The sonorous hook at 01:55 – featuring delicately soaring vocals – is gorgeous. This section floats along with melodic pleasure and whimsy, serving as a great lead-in to a stirring conclusion, where all these aforementioned elements converge with melodic power. While not quite indicative of Electric Guitar songs, this track is a refreshing slice of folk-laden indie-pop, with an infectious and alluring twinkling throughout.
More on the Norwegian act below:
The Wit has been around for a while. They released their self-titled debut album in 2009 and have supported, amongst others, Fu Manchu and Mondo Generator. The band has also played a number of club shows and made the odd festival appearance. The first album garnered a lot of attention, including recommendations from P3’s Urørt and a slew of good reviews. The band began recording their second album in the woods of Sweden in 2011. Eirik Haukland, Magnus Nymo (FORK, REGN, Årabrot), Eirik Fidjeland (Gold Celeste, Dråpe) and recording engineer Carl Svensson laid the musical foundations for the record but, due to tragic circumstances, recording and live activities had to be put on hold. After gaining new momentum and renewed inspiration, recording started up again and, between 2014 and 2016, The Wit’s second full length album was completed. The album was mixed and mastered by Simen Hallset and is ready to be released. From the ashes of The Wit’s first incarnation, the band now consists of Eirik Kirkemyr (Dråpe, Psyence Fiction) on drums, Ketil Myhre (Dråpe, VHS Dream) on bass and Peter Hiley (Are You Having Fun Yet) on guitar. The new album is a muscular yet delicate piece of work, blending the harder elements of post and stoner rock with more intricate soundscapes and razor-sharp (at times heartbreaking) lyrics. The Wit may have endured a period of unintentional hibernation but it is now most definitely awake.
“If you ain’t got nothing to do (don’t do it here)” and other memorable tracks from this month can also be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of August 2018’ Spotify playlist.
