Style: Neo-pagan folk, dark folk, tribal ambient (Clean vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Wardruna, Sowulo, Heilung, Forndom
Country: Russia
Release date: 20 February 2026

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Commonly seen above Siberia’s Western Steppe are haunts of thin, spectral cirrus clouds. These wispy, ephemeral forms saunter over the land below, casting imperceptible shadows and subtle, refracted light with an air of passive indifference. The phantasmal horde is first in a procession of more active, mercurial meteorological systems—cirrus clouds often portend extreme changes in weather. Siberia is no stranger to this volatility, as summer’s torrential storms beat with the wings of the mighty Thunder Bird and the endlessly plummeting temperatures of winter comb barren winds across scratching, sighing brush.

The unifying force of Siberia’s volatile climes is one of silence: the still moments of Summer and Winter alike are a pervasive force at all times of year. Aba Khan, the latest release from Siberian folk duo Nytt Land, channels the stillness of their homeland through contemplative and highly textural neo-pagan folk. Much of their past output is canvassed by the influence of early Wardruna—Nytt Land often recall the gentle, earthy, percussive ambience of Runaljod: Gap Var Ginnunga—yet this influence is supplanted and recontextualized on Aba Khan. The group bring spiritual and musical traditions of the indigenous peoples of their homeland to the forefront through throat chants, indigenous Siberian invocations and legends, and—most importantly—songwriting guided by stillness.

How does one venerate silence in an artform centralized on sound? Naturally, Nytt Land incorporate silence itself into their compositions: Aba Khan’s pieces are wont to stop on a dime to punctuate the bookending music and further induce a meditative state. The first time it happens during the bridge of “Taiga”, the effect is stunning. The track moves into a stubborn rhythm which conjures an intense primordial energy among chants, then all instrumentation drops out to spotlight Natalya Pakhalenko’s vocals before repeating the verse one last time.

Unfortunately, what begins as a fun compositional trick evolves into a trope as Aba Khan progresses—virtually every track outside of the intro and the two interludes use this idea, and almost always right before the bridge. Stillness in silence is rendered staleness in not only knowing a moment of silence is going to happen on every track, but also in knowing that it’s going to happen in the same place and be used in the same context. While there’s enough compositional variety to distinguish Aba Khan’s pieces from each other, the usage of similar songwriting structures imbues the record with an unintentional monotony.

As compositional variety is downplayed on Aba Khan, focus is instead placed on textural exploration. Many tracks are slow to begin: even the opening title track induces little momentum, stirring up chthonic forces in a single place instead of pushing the record to its start. “Taiga” follows suit, building a ritualistic energy for almost two minutes before releasing the tension through forward-moving percussion and a teetering string melody. On “Totem”, throat chants are used heavily as both a rhythmic and textural base. Combined with the persistent percussion, the track feels like a slow yet deliberate pilgrimage across the steppe. Silence also plays a role as foil against texture, providing contrast to the record’s rich sonic background.

Outside of literally using silence to encourage an inner stillness, Aba Khan incorporates interlude tracks with a sense of profound quietude. “Uitag” gently ebbs and flows around a repeated flute pattern; underneath, a jaw harp slowly reverberates and jangly percussion keeps a subtle rhythm. “Prayer” focuses on haunting, earthly vocal harmonies which call and respond to gorgeous effect. These interstitial pieces end up becoming centerpieces of the record due to their stark difference in songwriting approach and thoughtful dedication to inner stillness.

The premise of Aba Khan is promising: slow, contemplative folk music focused on showcasing the virtues of sacred silence seems at first blush an easy winning formula. Moreover, the record’s use of rich, varied textures easily sweeps away the listener on first listen, and its interludes lull the listener into a trance with their hypnotic musings on a single idea. Nytt Land’s execution, however, ultimately leans too far into the repetitive, causing Aba Khan’s stillness to turn to staleness and making the interlude tracks stand out chiefly by breaking the record’s repetition. Silence speaks to the transcendent; I know for certain its vocabulary extends beyond that used on Aba Khan.

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Recommended tracks: Taiga, Prayer, Uitag, Totem
You may also like: Eolya, De Mannen Broeders, Nechochwen, HÉR
Final verdict: 6/10

Related links: Facebook | Instagram

Label: Prophecy Productions

Nytt Land is:
– Natalya Pakhalenko: vocals, percussion
– Anatoly Pakhalenko: vocals, talharpa, flute, percussion, mouth harp