There’s something quietly magical about “The Sound of Birdsong,” the latest single from Norwegian indie-folk trio GISKE. It’s the kind of song that feels like it belongs to the late-night hours — where reality blurs with dreams, and the world hums in slow motion. With its hypnotic rhythm, soft guitars, and ethereal vocals, the track captures the feeling of lying awake on a bright Scandinavian summer night, when the sun never quite sets and the air feels thick with memory.
The song comes from GISKE’s upcoming album Ten Visits, Ten Songs (due in February 2026), a project that reflects the enduring creative bond between Rune Berg and Alex Rinde — a musical partnership that stretches all the way back to a summer morning in 1991. That’s when Alex, riding his bike around their tiny island of Giske (population: 610), turned to his younger cousin Rune and asked, “Do you want to start a band?” Rune’s answer, of course, was yes. And just like that, a lifelong collaboration was born. Over the years, the two have played together in a handful of bands, the most famous being The Margarets, one of Norway’s most beloved guitar-pop groups of the 2000s, known for their melodic songwriting and shimmering indie sound. GISKE carries that same spirit forward, but with a gentler, more introspective tone — a sound that feels mature, yet full of wonder.
On “The Sound of Birdsong,” Alex’s voice floats over warm acoustic textures and subtle percussion, while guest vocalist Maria Due adds a haunting counterpoint that lingers long after the track fades. The production, led by Rune himself, is lush but restrained — every note feels intentional, every silence filled with meaning. You can hear echoes of Nick Drake’s quiet melancholy, The Smiths’ poetic precision, and even a touch of Cocteau Twins’ dreamlike shimmer. In Alex’s words, the song is about that in-between state — “not sure if you’re awake or dreaming.” That feeling runs through every line and chord. It’s hypnotic, nostalgic, and deeply human — like watching twilight turn endlessly into dawn. the making of the album was as personal as the music itself. Rune would take the train from Oslo to the island of Giske, guitar in hand, to visit Alex at his home — the Yellow House. Each visit produced a new song. Ten visits, ten songs. Recorded at Ocean Sound Studio (founded by The Margarets in 2005), the sessions captured not just music, but a friendship spanning decades and a shared love for melody and storytelling. “The Sound of Birdsong” is a reminder that sometimes the most powerful songs aren’t the loudest ones — they’re the ones that whisper, gently, into your soul. GISKE has crafted something timeless here: a song that feels both rooted in the past and completely present.
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