rekindle the past

Released in 2018, 'rekindle the past' represents a fascinating stylistic pivot for the Norwegian electronic pioneer Geir Jenssen, better known as Biosphere. While his career is defined by the 'arctic ambient' of 'Substrata', this 15-track collection embraces the aesthetics of lo-fi hip-hop and downtempo. The album consists of short, evocative miniatures - most clocking in around two minutes - constructed from warped piano samples, muffled boom-bap percussion, and heavy tape hiss. This shift aligns him more with the 'hauntology' movement or the dusty beat-making of artists like Boards of Canada rather than his traditional techno roots. Critical reception noted the album's surprising warmth and its ability to evoke a specific, sentimental nostalgia without becoming saccharine. It functions as a series of sonic postcards, each capturing a fleeting mood or a half-remembered dream, marking a rare moment of domestic intimacy in a discography usually characterized by vast, uninhabited landscapes.