From Bandcamp, “Spearheaded by four Norwegian/Swedish musicians, KALANDRA is a band with roots in melancholic Nordic folk and gritty guitars, weaving ethereal melodies into raw and eerie musical landscapes. The album can be described as an introspective journey about life’s experiences and how they shape the way we perceive the world. It explores what we put within the frame of our day-to-day lives, but also what is excluded. The band has combed through their memories and written about past traumas, cherished childhood memories, and a weariness about the future and the state of the world.”

The album has ten songs, and “I Am” is first. The opening tones are dreamy, fueled by clean guitars and the sultry, attractive voice of Katrine. Layers are added slowly until the dream starts to take form, but it never full reveals itself. The music is folky at times, but it really pushes melody more than anything. “Untie the Knot” features soft vocal harmonies that grab a hold and don’t let go. They start to build with firmer guitar notes and some drums, and her voice raises to reflect the crescendo that is coming. “Are you Ready?” has some darker tones and a bit more of a firmer bite in the music, and the landscape it presents is warning, and ominous. So far, the band has the uncanny ability to make the music swell or retreat at will, and these contrasting things keep the listener leaning forward to find out what is next.

“The State of the World” is as reflective as the title suggests. Where does one even begin to address this issue? Katrine’s vocals are so smooth and expressive, and they draw you into them. It is a soft, gentle song but the meaning is much larger than the sound. “Bardaginn” is an Old Norse word that means "fight" or "battle". It can refer to an internal struggle or a real-world confrontation. The song has undertones of an internal battle to me, especially in the music. The guitars are dark and murky, and the bass notes are meaty, and the way they bend the riff downwards tells a lot about the song. “I’ll Get There One Day” is a gentler offering of resolve. This is something that we often tell ourselves, but what steps have we taken to get there? Judging by the tone of the music, they have.

“Hyatta” has soft, gorgeous piano tones and pensive vocals. Soak this one in slowly, and it will cheer your weary heart. Hope remains one of the best virtues, if not the best, and that is what I get from this song. “I Remember a Time” closes the album with a sentimental tone. Perhaps, a time when things were better. “We all need each other,” she muses. Indeed. Overall, this was quite a moving listening experience. The album ebbed and flowed, a match with the themes mentioned in the beginning, and it gave me peace even though some of the themes were disruptive. My frame of mind on the album was one of deep contemplation.