Deaf Center, a shadowy project by Norwegian multi-instrumentalists Erik K. Skodvin and Otto A. Totland, blended ambient electronica, contemporary classical, and drone music. Their early releases featured lush cinematic soundscapes created with organic instrumentation and occasional electronic rhythms, garnering acclaim in the experimental music scene. Skodvin later founded the Miasmah label, specializing in dark ambient music, while Totland collaborated with Nest, showcasing a smooth, cinematic sound akin to Deaf Center.

After a six-year hiatus, Deaf Center reunited to release their sophomore album, Owl Splinters, in 2011. The album, recorded at Nils Frahm's Durton studio in Berlin, departed from their previous electronic elements for a darker, more sinister tone with haunting piano melodies and cello-string drones. The evolution reflected changes in the experimental music landscape, shifting towards drone, dark ambient, and noise acts.