Serena Maneesh - Abyss In B Minor (4AD) Released: 22/03/10

When Sly & The Family Stone sang about a family affair nearly forty years ago, its highly unlikely their celebratory anthem was actually a prophecy based on the forthcoming musical endeavours of a family from Oslo that go by the name of Nikolaisen. Nevertheless, the three siblings that feature prominently here – guitarist and singer/songwriter Emil, bassist Hilma and fellow vocalist Elvira – offer as much of an individual slant that makes Serena Maneesh, and ‘S-M2: Abyss In B Minor’ in particular a distinctive record where each sum of its parts makes their own valid contribution.
 
Hardly the most prolific outfit on the planet, Serena Maneesh, essentially the brainchild of elder sibling Emil first attracted a wave of attention four years ago thanks to their self-titled debut, which while wearing its influences rather casually at times, hinted at a promising future provided an identity of their own could be discovered and developed in the process. Fast forward to 2010, and several line-up changes later and ‘S-M2: Abyss In B Minor’ is a blistering follow-up that elevates them from the status of young pretenders that they were back in ’06 to genuine challengers for A Place To Bury Strangers crown as the undisputed kings (and queens) of noise.
 
Recently signed to legendary independent 4AD they may be, yet the eccentric production techniques of Emil Nikolaisen continue to remain at the forefront of Serena Maneesh’s make-up. ‘S-M2: Abyss In B Minor’ was in fact partly recorded in a disused cave on the outskirts of their native city, and if the mysterious location tells half the record’s story, then one glance at song titles such as ‘Ayisha Abyss’ and ‘Blow Yr Brains In The Mourning Rain’ probably helps explain the rest.
 
The former, at just under eight minutes long, is a bass heavy instrumental not too dissimilar to Model Morning’s ‘As Guilty As’ for the most part, until the last forty-five seconds throw together all kinds of unexpected surprises from classical piano to throbbing techno. The latter meanwhile takes their sonic ambivalence one notch higher to the next level, its closest comparison being their debut highlight ‘Drain Cosmetics’, only longer and louder. That’s not to say ‘S-M2: Abyss In B Minor’ is solely reliant on aural annihilation; both ‘I Just Want To See Your Face’ and ‘Reprobate!’, use the pro-tools and detuned guitar loop sequencing method to grand effect, Elvira Nikolaisen cooing admirably on each occasion. ‘Melody For Jaana’ meanwhile is the closest Serena Maneesh come to the original haze of the shoegaze era’s first wave, as images of My Bloody Valentine’s ‘No More Sorry’, Medicine’s ‘5ive’ and Drop Nineteens ‘Your Aquarium’ all fight for a starring role. Better still is the dreamy soundscape of ‘Magdalena (Symphony #8)’, which brings the album to a close in an orgasmic, ethereal haze.
 
Overall, ‘S-M2: Abyss In B Minor’ is a logical yet breathtaking step forward for Serena Maneesh that opens new doors and explores fresh territories with every subsequent listen. Here’s to its successor, however long it takes its creators to conjure up….