Ultre - The Nest and the Skull Review

Bordering somewhere between the unorthodox melodies of Four Tet and the electronic acoustics of Boards of Canada's The Campfire Headphase, Ultre (aka Finn McNicholas) has unleashed a dramatic improvement from his debut, All The Darkness Has Gone To Details with his 2nd album, The Nest and the Skull. Fueled by acoustic guitars, electronic glitches, and ambient soundscapes, McNicholas is able to evoke much more emotion, good or bad, than what was on ATDHGTD. The melancholy of "The Smirks", the haunting "Museum of Air", and the radiant "Struggle and Nothing" are the album's high points, while the sluggish melody of "Takas" is one of the lower points. Desolate, bleak, and isolated, The Nest and The Skull is a challenging listen, but your patience will be rewarded.

3 1/2 Stars