On albums like 2022’s Alduorka and 2019’s Nhoohr, Norway’s Breidablik draw inspiration from the Berlin School of electronic music to create rich kosmische soundscapes à la Tangerine Dream and Popol Vuh. But for the upcoming YCS5, Morten Birkeland Nielsen opted for something more stripped down.
Building on the “one song with one synth” challenge, Nielsen’s latest album is a collection of songs made with one synth: a vintage Yamaha CS-5 from 1979 that Nielsen calls “one of the most limited synthesizers I own” and “one of the most basic synths ever made.” He also notes, however, that “[d]espite its limitations, the CS-5 delivers a rich, fantastic sound and is incredibly fun to work with, especially when paired with some effect pedals.”
The album’s title track sounds quite rich, indeed, with deep bass tones serving as a foundation for sleek melodies and arpeggios that sound vintage and futuristic all at once.
YCS5 will be released on May 15, 2025.