Styles: Trip hop, electronica, art rock (clean vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Manes, Ulver, Aphex Twin, Massive Attack
Country: Norway
Release date: 14 August 2026

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Ulver ain’t the only Norwegian black-metal-turned-freaky-experimental-electronic act in town. In 1999, the lesser-known Manes released the black metal cult classic Under ein blodraud maane before going on a short hiatus and reemerging four years later with Vilosophe—another cult classic, but this time grounded in trip hop and showcasing an eerie, avant-garde edge. For my money, Vilosophe is right up there with the best genre-switching works an artist has ever dropped on an unsuspecting fan base.  

Although their output has been relatively sparse over the last couple of decades, Manes have nonetheless remained a force in the Norwegian underground, helmed by Tor-Helge Skei, the band’s cofounder and only consistent member. Skei’s latest project, Holissstik, continues to develop the experimental yet accessible, electronically oriented style synonymous with Manes, albeit as a solo-driven work. Made in collaboration with a massive roster of guest musicians, to whom Skei gave much creative liberty and then shaped the raw material into an album, the resulting debut album—Chapter 1: This Endless Solitude, the first LP in a forthcoming trilogy—is quite the feat. But does its substance live up to its ambition?

Quickly apparent is the album’s rich detail and stunning production. Opener “The Rhythm of Silence” features three vocalists—with contributions ranging from ethereal female leads to a French rap verse—along with atmospheric synths, moody backing guitars, and bustling electronic drums, all beautifully wrapped together in a haunting track of the quality expected from Skei. The rest of the album proceeds similarly, with a consistently pristine sound and no song short on sonic elements to parse. “My Salvation” peppers in just the right amount of the creepy, fever-dream-like spoken word common to Manes’ work, while “Would You Take This Heart” mixes a downcast synth motif with rhythmic chants and a dreary but wonderfully expressive vocal performance. The myriad instruments and sound effects imbue the album with a cold, unsettling atmosphere, having particular force in the ambient-forward cuts “Projections” and “Behind Me”—although both are a tad repetitive, offering atmosphere but not much else that sticks. The title track does, however, close the album with a sense of hope: warm synths radiate like a winter sunrise, layered vocals swell, and arpeggiated keys glimmer. The sonic alchemy is stunning, serving as a fitting conclusion to the album.

Still, as hypnotic as Holissstik’s debut is, I can’t help but feel like This Endless Solitude ultimately drags too much. Despite the nearly twenty guest credits and chaotic creative process, stretches of the record would benefit from greater evolution. “Projections,” “Reoccurring Dreams,” and “Behind Me,” for example, could use some spark, building on core ideas perhaps too patiently. Also, impressively, Skei might have done too good a job organizing the contributions from his collaborators: songs are liable to blur together, as the album unfolds seamlessly and with a chilling beauty but without many standout passages or attention-grabbing peaks. With such a roster, I’d expect more variance and thrilling moments. The record is rich and nuanced, yet much of it slides off the brain without an impact; I’m left wanting more excitement. Then again, from an album titled This Endless Solitude, that may well be purposeful. 

Ultimately, the first chapter of Holissstik’s trilogy is a compelling listen—the soundscapes and general aura are undeniable. But the work doesn’t quite hit with the force necessary to carry its forty-six-minute runtime. I can get lost in This Endless Solitude, maybe just a bit too lost, without a whole lot to hang onto or take with me. Nevertheless, Skei’s feel for atmosphere and ability to shape chaos into coherence is enough to keep me interested: I might not have found Chapter 1 fully convincing, but I’ll certainly give the next installments a chance.

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Recommended tracks: The Rhythm of Silence, Would You Take This Heart, This Endless Solitude
You may also like: i Häxa, Double Mute, -ii-
Final verdict: 6/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Facebook

Label: Season of Mist

Holissstik is:
– Tor-Helge Skei
With guests:
– Anna Murphy – Vocals on “Obsession Six”
– Christophe Denhez – Guitars on “The Rhythm of Silence”, Guitars, vocals and lyrics on “Behind Me”
– Eivind Fjøseide – Guitars on all songs except “Projections”
– Gabriel Trentini – Vocals and lyrics on “Obsession Six”
– Kristoffer Oustad – Synth on “The Rhythm of Silence”, “Projections”, “Reoccurring Dreams”, “This Endless Solitude”
– Tor-Arne Helgesen – Drums on all songs except “Behind Me” and “This Endless Solitude”
– Marita Hellem – Vocals on “The Rhythm of Silence” and “This Endless Solitude”
– Martyna Halas – Vocals and lyrics on “The Rhythm of Silence”, “My Salvation”, “Would You Take This Heart” and “This Endless Solitude”
– Nik Košar – Vocals and lyrics on “Projections” and “Reoccurring Dreams”
– Pierre Ripka – Vocals and lyrics on “The Rhythm of Silence”
– Paritta Monks – Chanting on “Would You Take This Heart”
– Rune Folgerø – Vocals on “This Endless Solitude”
– Rune Hoemsnes – Drums on “Behind Me”
– Stig Waltoft – Synth and sounds on “Would You Take This Heart”
– Tom Engelsøy – Vocals on “Obsession Six”
– Torstein Parelius – Bass on “Behind Me” and “This Endless Solitude”, lyrics on “This Endless Solitude”
– Trond Johansen – Guitars on “Would You Take This Heart”