There must be something in the water in Canada, or maybe it is the air that they breathe. Whatever it is, the quality of work coming from there is of consistently high quality, and Northern are no exception. Their debut album is a spellbinding work of ambient soundscapes which clear the mind and calm the nerves. I often listen to ambient music at work as I find it helps me stay focused, and doesn’t interfere with my job. However, during a stressful day, I decided to give Drawn a listen, and by the time the album had finished, all I could think about was crawling under my desk and going to sleep. So I give you a word of warning: do not listen to this album when it is imperative that you stay awake, especially at work, and most certainly when you are driving. It may not even be safe to listen to this when you are walking down the street, for you may collapse in the middle of the road and get run over by a motor vehicle.

The tracks on Drawn are filled with warmth and create a comforting atmosphere for its listener. Containing layers of ambient textures, melodic drones, carefully placed glitches, and processed guitar, each track floats effortlessly into the next, and structural shifts are slow and subtle. “Coasting,” “Drawn,” and “Seams” are dreamy meandering pieces, while “Lesser” and “Pacific” incorporate prominent percussive tones which throb lightly in the background.

Drawn is a quiet and soothing album that will appeal to fans of Windy & Carl, Shuttle358, Mountains, Fourcolor, and Taylor Deupree. The original release of Drawn included a bonus disc entitled Jessa, which added cello and violin to their signature sound, making the tracks completely different to what is found on Drawn. Unfortunately this edition was limited to only 150 copies and is now sold out, but a vinyl edition of Jessa including extra tracks is in the works. Drawn is a glorious debut, and if the music on Jessa is the future of Northern then their next album will have them standing beside ambient giants, Stars of the Lid.
 
-Leanne Simpson