Norther (album)

Norther is the sixth album by the English band Ex-Easter Island Head, released on 17 May 2024. It is the band's first studio album in eight years, following Twenty-Two Strings (2016). The album marks the first appearance of Andrew PM Hunt as a permanent member, who also served as its producer and mixing engineer, alongside Benjamin Duvall, Benjamin Fair, and Jonathan Hering. The album was recorded at the band's home studio The Consulate in Liverpool and released by Rocket Recordings.

The album takes its title from the meteorological term norther, which refers to a cold wind from the north. It explores themes of nature, "controlled randomness," and the interaction between technologies. Musically, the band has cited influences from Rhys Chatham and Glenn Branca, known for their experimental guitar compositions, as well as minimalism and extended instrumental forms. They describe the album as incorporating both structured composition and freeform elements, drawing comparisons to the evolving dynamics of The Necks and the rhythmic precision of artists on Kompakt.

Hunt described the band's creative direction, emphasising their desire to make music that is engaging and enjoyable: "It's important to us that it's accessible and fun, that it's not too cerebral." While acknowledging their influences from academic minimalism and late 20th-century avant-garde, he characterised their style as "experimental music presented as entertainment," paraphrasing Stewart Lee's description of the band.

Norther received positive reviews from critics and appeared in several year-end album rankings, topping The Quietus' list and placing fourth in Loud and Quiet's. Some critics described it as the band’s strongest work to date.