Possibly a distant second to old school metal, neo-folk is one of my favorite genres of music. The best artists in the neo-folk movement capture this ethereal ambience in their music that post-rock or modern classical musicians often only hope to achieve. While I have been more emotionally affected by works like Vali's Forlatt or Ulver's Kveldssanger, Nest (the Finnish artist, not the equally popular modern classical artist from Norway) holds a special place in my heart these days.
Whereas artists like Ulver, Vali, or October Falls utilize common instruments like the nylon-string guitar or various woodwinds to achieve their type of beauty, Nest utilizes instrumentation more traditional to their homeland. The result is that Nest's atmosphere is very reminiscent of nature itself. Specifically, the kantele, an instrument not unlike some sort of Finnish harp, and the Lapland drums dominate Nest's music.
As for which album I prefer, I really can't say at this juncture. I tend to lean towards Woodsmoke because it simply has more memorable moments; however, Trail Of The Unwary is arguably the more accomplished release of the two. The latter appeals to the more diverse musical pallet with its more drawn-out songwriting and its usage of more diverse instrumentation. The former is a much more simplified release that mostly showcases the group's ability to write melodies on the kantele, but, as noted above, the fact that these melodies are infectious and atmospheric simply cannot be ignored.
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