Norwegian trio GISKE is made up of three members from The Margarets, one of Norway’s most acclaimed guitar-pop bands from the 2000s. Cousins Rune Berg and Alex Rinde have been writing songs together since 1991, when Alex asked Rune on a bike ride if they should start a band. Their collaboration has lasted over three decades, spanning multiple projects and weathering life’s changes. Due to Alex’s health, GISKE no longer tours extensively, but the songwriting continues. “The Sound of Birdsong” is the second single from their upcoming album Ten Visits, Ten Songs, recorded at Ocean Sound studio and due out in February 2026. The album’s title reflects the process: Rune would pack his acoustic guitar, take the train from Oslo to Giske, visit Alex at the Yellow House, and each visit resulted in a new song.
The song sounds exactly like what you would imagine a song about birdsongs from artists in Norway would sound like. The harmony and rhythm section sounds carefree, like you’re floating about the meadows. There is a memorable repeated melodic motif through the choruses that is very singable. That is meant to represent the sound of the birdsong. Its cyclical nature is like an awe-inspiring, unending summer night that hypnotizes you with its beauty. A night where you are dreaming of birdsongs and a more peaceful time.
“The Sound of Birdsong” captures something rare, that dreamy space between waking and sleeping on a bright summer night. GISKE‘s blending of modern indie folk with touches of The Smiths and Nick Drake, and the result feels both timeless and present. After decades of making music together, Berg and Rinde clearly understand each other’s creative language, and that shows in how naturally this track flows.
