A cinematic debut from Norway’s sonic underground.
Emerging from the Bergen scene with a mysterious name and a fully-formed sonic identity, Cubakisen’s debut EP “Bare Jord” is a confident, genre-blurring statement.
The title, which translates to “Just Soil” or “Bare Earth,” hints at a deeper narrative of endings and renewal—dust to dust. It’s released via the independent Norwegian label Vift Records, already known for championing boundary-pushing acts.
The opening eponymous track is a bit of a head-scratcher at first—deliberately confusing. The groove is undeniable, yet the verse is bone-dry, sparse, almost skeletal. Then the chorus hits: sweeping strings, a wider stereo field, vocals through a vintage mic, and suddenly you’re in a movie.
There’s a bittersweetness here, like the end of a summer flirt, romantic and fleeting. It feels cinematic in the best sense—moody, textured, and expansive.
The EP is sprinkled with sonic details that reward close listening. At first blush, it might strike some as a goddamn mess. But listen again. And again. A great mixing job and intentional production choices begin to shine through. It’s an instant repeat kind of record.
Cubakisen clearly draws inspiration from artists like Sondre Lerche — who, not coincidentally, shares mastering engineer Matias Tellez, Lerche’s longtime collaborator. There’s that same marriage of cool and elegant, of pop sensibility and artistic risk.
“I Skyggen” veers into grungier territory, with a gritty, alt-hip-hop edge and a surprisingly catchy chorus. “Maiden Voyage” stands out as the EP’s most fragile moment — delicate and understated, like it might disappear if you breathe too hard.
The finale, “Gi det til meg,” ties it all together: dreamy, groovy, drifting on clouds. A smoky saxophone solo emerges near the end like a final exhale, and the track dissolves, appropriately, into bare earth.
The name Cubakisen — a play on Cubakrisen, the Norwegian term for the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis — signals tension and stakes. “Bare Jord”, for all its ambiguity, feels similarly loaded: poetic, political, personal.
Overall, this is a promising debut — confident yet experimental, emotionally rich and sonically adventurous. “Bare Jord” isn’t just dust. It’s the fertile kind, ready to grow something new.
Stream “Bare Jord” EP on Spotify and YouTube.
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Cubakisen on Facebook, Instagram.
Photo credit: Marvin Helleraker
