Recording: Ora Cogan & Ester Thunander

Artist: Ora Cogan & Ester Thunander

Song: unknown^*

Recorded at 918 Bathurst (Prepare the Ground Festival – Day 2), May 31, 2025.

Ora Cogan & Ester Thunander - unknown

Under its "heavy" rubric, the Prepare the Ground Festival managed to find some space for some sidebar genres, such as bringing some doom-folk sounds into the reverberant churchy sanctuary at 918 Bathurst. A cue for where this set would be heading was the opening invitation for the audience to lie down on the floor — an invitation partially accepted as most of the thin crowd were soon at least sitting in the area in front of the stage. Ora Cogan and Ester Thunander were seated on the stage floor themselves, mics tilted down and violins and guitars near at hand. I was a bit familiar with Cogan, having seen her perform a good while back, but it was quite satisfying to see her here unencumbered from rhythm or songshape to lean entirely into some beautiful atmospherics. Sweden's Ester Thunander was an apt partner here, expanding the ghostly space with voice and fiddle.

^* Does anyone know the title to this one? Please leave a comment!