Northern HI-Lights – The Best Nordic Songs of 2016 P2 [Long Read]

Stine Grøn

Best Nordic Songs of 2016 P1 posted yesterday and which you can catch up on here, featured randomly ranked songs from 25-11.

Here in Part 2, I’m delighted to give you a Best of 2016 Top Ten from the Nordic wonder-region.

Making up this list one fact has become strikingly apparent – there is a growing wealth of female talent leading the way in the Nordic region!  A welcome sight to see a “best of” dominated by female artists.  And no, this wasn’t deliberate, or a subconscious act of auto-feminism.  This list emerged quite spontaneously, based on tracks that I felt best reflected the immense bed of talent spread across the countries that make up this region.

Which leads me into the second standout fact; the distinct lack of entries from Sweden.  In this respect one can’t been too sure if this ‘omission’ reflects a chink in one’s own blogging armour, or a distinct lack of quality music coming from what was once the jewel in the Nordic crown.

My own opinion is that 2016 was an exceptionally strong year for Nordic music and I’d like to think that this top 10 selection reflects accurately the prodigious creativity and wide diversity of artists and their idiosyncratic sounds from across this region.

ARY by A1K3

10. ARY – The End (Nor)

Intelligent, bright, funny, unpretentious and wildly talented, Trondheim native ARY is a shining star whose iridescence lights up the often chilly world of cold electronica.  A contradiction in vocal terms – as invitingly warm as it is chilled by the high altitudes to which stretches with ease, hers is a voice that is as beguiling as it is charmingly innocent. Capable of crafting the most delicious, efficacious mood-stirrers, ARY is no Sabrina.

Driven by the need to be self-sufficient and with the smarts to back it up, ARY has started self-producing, ipso factor future releases should see her name extend beyond songwriting to production credits.  The quirky, intoxicating insouciance and dreamy textures of ‘The End’, perfectly exemplify this upcoming Norwegian’s creative talents and ingenuity.  Picked up by the producers of ‘Supervention 2’ it marked ARY’s third 2016 contribution to TV/Film scores.  Where next?  SXSW for one!

9. Pascal Pinon – Skammdegi (Ice)

Sisters Jófríður and Ásthildur Ákadóttir are Pascal Pinon.  Hailing from Reykjavík, Iceland, they’ve been making music together and with friends since their mid teens.  Indeed you might recognise the name of Jófríður from that other Icelandic star, Samaris, whose album ‘Black Lights’ was one of the Icelandic highlights of 2016.

As Pascal Pinon the sisters released ‘Sundur‘, an album of exquisite temperament, flawless interpetation and ingenious orchestration.  It was what one could describe as having a “rarefied beauty” set in an almost intangible soundscape.

‘Skammdegi’ meaning ‘midwinter’ accounts for one of two native language tracks on the album – the other being the hauntingly beautiful Ást.

A vocal menagerie, untouchable in its fragility, Skammdegi is a sublime confluence of two vocal streams book-ended by sparse, clear instrumental lines. Unaware of its lyrical content/translation, I have no knowledge of its words but I can feel its spirit and see its colours.  And isn’t part of its wonder in its otherworldly mystery?

Like practically every other Nordic artist we’ve featured, Pascal Pinon ventured as far as London but alas, failed to cross the Irish Sea.  They start back gigging February with stints in Berlin and Copenhagen – see their FB page for details.  Hopefully, 2017 will see Pascal Pinon, along with other Nordic acts, visit these shores – if only to honour the Viking invasion?

8. Blondage – Dive (Den)

One of the most moreish Nordic dance tracks of 2016, ‘Dive’ saw Blondage ramp it up more notches than Valentino had on his bedpost.  Sexy, strong, lush, addictive beats – ‘Dive’ is what Danish duo Esben Andersen and Pernille Smith-Sivertsen do best. Blondage fuse creative curiosity and imaginative ingenuity with a basic dance roux to create fluid, electrifying, experimental tracks as unorthodox as they are diverse.

2016 saw the Rangleklods chrysalis turn into the glittering Blondage butterfly whose off-kilter electronica bleeds through the fabric of music fundamentals to expose an originality and daring so often found lacking in the electro-pop scene.  Currently touring Europe, this year should see the Danes back in studio crafting more idiosyncratic sounds and adrenaline pumping beats.

7. Amish 82 feat. Kirsti Huke – My Name (Nor)

It’s been a very long time since I heard any act do ‘contemporary vintage’ (make sense of that if you will!) with such consummate finesse as Amish 82.  Their sound revolves around ’80s analogue but with its latter-day arrangement style and precision production, it is past meets present in perfect harmony.

The resultant output from their collaboration with jazz singer Kirsti Huke, is suave retro meets modern elegant to which Huke, with her smooth, opaline vocal adds a subtle touch of bygone glamour.  It’s not the norm to put the word sophisticated in the same sentence as ’80s retro, but that’s just what this song it.  A sumptuous, grown up, remoulding of everything that was great about ’80s music with a dash of debonair and sweep of sophistication.

Amish 82 play the upcoming Tronheim Calling festival to which YT is travelling.  Seeing this band of vintage vibing troubadours play live should be an experience to remember!

https://soundcloud.com/no-forevers/amish-82-my-name-feat-kirsti-huke-single-edit

6. Agnes Obel – Familiar (Den)

2016 was the year the name Agnes Obel became much more ‘familiar’ to music fans outside of her native Denmark! Unafraid to play the game her way, Obel like her contemporaries Anna von Hausswolff and Joanna Newsom, has always shaken a stick at the mainstream by following her gut and staying true to her classically inspired roots.  A deep dive into the conceptual, her 2016 album, ‘Citizen of Glass’ takes a step beyond its predecessors in terms of lyrical and instrumental ingenuity.  While it stays true to cinematic form and otherworldly, breathtaking vocal, it is a masterclass in innovative string and piano composition.

Highlight of the album was the single, ‘Familiar’, the sheer beauty of which took radio/blogs/internet by storm.  Vocal distortions gave a modern twist to vintage cut-glass vocals.  Set against a backdrop of the starkest piano and magnificent of string sequences, the mood of ‘Familiar’ rises and falls like the dance of Obel’s voice.  Pure magic.  Another missed live on my part (I made quite the habit of this in 2016), Agnel Obel is about to set her cap at the US which will be followed in late Spring by a return to Europe.

Okay so when I said this list was in no particular order, we-ell I might have told a teency white one. While 25-6 are 100% completely random, listings 5-1 are firm top fives and ranked accordingly.

Royksopp & Susanne Sundfor

5. Röyksopp feat. Susanne Sundfur – Never Ever (Nor)

Since discovering the Röyksund cover of DM’s ‘Ice Machine’ I’ve been a fan of their colourful, pure pop chemistry.  Röyksopp, masters of rainbow hued, adrenaline pumping, serotonin generating beats, put colour and warmth into the cheeks and timbre of Norway’s Ice Queen.  In return, Sundfur gives a classy gloss of Nordic ‘je ne sais quoi‘ to their urban beats.  Win/win.  This symmetry of this collaborative project remains unparalleled within the industry.  They are the Nordic royal family of musical invention.

‘Never Ever’, the surprise single released just days if not hours after Sundfur’s unexpected gift of the download of ‘Reincarnation’, is a hotbed of jackhammer percussive beats, frenergetic synths and electronic whirling dervishes galore. After a 2016 ‘gap year’ so to speak, big things are expected from Susanne Sundfur for 2017 (we know she’s been in studio so a release is imminent). Röyksopp, masters of their own destiny, will no doubt continue to collaborate and reinvent the poptastic disco wheel.  Both are on the “live performance” to do list 2017.

4. Frøkedal – The Sign (Nor)

February 2016 saw the culmination of a year’s worth of singles, EPs and touring with the release of Norwegian Anne Lise Frøkedal’s debut album, ‘Hold on Dreamer’. Glorious, challenging, honest, raw, gentle, observant, euphoric, poetic, mindful – it is life through a lens as seen by someone with a most insightful vision.  Perhaps the prettiest track on the album is ‘Cherry Trees’, a song inspired the annual cherry blossom season. A pink-hued natural Gloria, a love of which I share having two Cherry trees outside my own home.

That said, the title of standout has to go to ‘The Sign’, which, simply put, is positivity in a song.  If you could bottle positive euphoria and set it to music, ‘The Sign’ would be it. Uplifting, energised melodies skip through rambunctious drumming, their feelgood mood enhanced by Frøkedal’s animated, perfectly delightful voice.  Superficially simple, subliminally faultless.  Having pretty much toured the world Frøkedal is currently enjoying some mid-Winter downtime whilst enjoying the glow of having ‘Hold on Dreamer’ nominated for a Spelleman award!  #Applause.

3. EERA – White Water (Nor)

One of the huge successes of the Norwegian Indie scene last year was London based EERA. Her stark and deeply personal lyrics, shrouded in nature and reality, are pure poetry set against scores ranging from sparse alt-rock balladry to sensuous grunge.  Speaking of which, her single ‘White Water’ was quite possibly the most seductive indie-grunge heard this side of Nirvana.

‘White Water’ has more charge than the electrical currents coursing through the veins of its guitar lines.  Fraught, intense, gritty, dark, sensual – it’s all of that and more.  Yet, it contains the most unaffected, untouched vocal moments – distant, pure and wistful – that take the sexual edge off somewhat. Proving that this song is “all that and then some” it was snapped up by top 2FM DJ, Dan Hegarty, noted for supporting emerging artists, who played it on both his day and nighttime shows!  Big things are in store for this lady in 2017 … the bar has been set, expectations are high!  No pressure then.

2. Hanne Kolstø – Stein / Saks (Nor)

If proof were ever needed that you don’t need to understand the lingo to love the song and get the sentiment ‘Stein / Saks’ is it! The most beautifully proportioned song to come out of Norway in 2016, it combines happiness with positivity with sentiment with sunny melodies and instrumental minimalism.  Net result – the perfect upbeat pop song.  It’s a simple formula that works perfectly.

Hanne Kolstø is one of Norway’s most renowned female solo artists.  A musician who has run the gamut of live acoustic, punk, kick-ass rock-pop and tear-stained balladry.  Whatever she does, Kolstø does it with breathtaking honesty and a passion unequalled by many of her peers (with the possible exception of the afore-mentioned ALF).

Her acoustic album ‘Live at Toyenkirken’ was a spiritual masterpiece and her second, (yes second), album of 2016, ‘Fest Blikket’ is a perfectly balanced blend of Summery melodies, electronic escapades, delicious piano sequences, feisty guitars and that honest and true vocal that is HK’s signature.  The fact that it’s in Norwegian makes the journey all the more mysterious!

Abundantly talented and infinitely far-seeing, Hanne Kolstø is a musical nomad and natural poet who defies definition.  It is for that very reason, along with her indefatigable spirit and crazily good songs that I rate her as the best Nordic female artist today.

1. IRAH – Fast Travelling (Den)

Finally we’ve arrived at the top Nordic song of 2016.

Tbh IRAH were a slow burn with me. While I appreciated the purity of their music and the conviction of its lyrical direction, it just didn’t click.  Not until I re-listened to ‘Fast Travelling’ just before its release.

Like a fog lifting, the picture became clear and the jigsaw fell into place.  The interconnecting themes, the lyrical objective, the continuum of mindful meditation and peaceful intent suddenly became apparent.  It finally all made sense.

‘Fast Travelling’ is without doubt one of the most thoughtful, emotionally intelligent, spiritually uplifting, and transcendental compositions I’ve ever heard.  And at its core beats a most beautiful heart.  If I tried to put into words how this song affects me I’d fail; instead I’ll link you to my review.  An hypnosis of rolling percussion soothes, while iridescent colour-blush synths add a warming glow. But it is the enchanting, utter loveliness of Stine Grøn’s vocal that elevates this song to musical nirvana.

2016 saw IRAH go from nowhere to everywhere so much so that 2017 should see them go even further!  If I had one last wish, it would be to see this musical meditation, this spiritual transcendence live in 2017.

If you have actually managed to get to the end of this Top 25 well done, go get a drink and for your divertissement, here’s a full Spotify playlist of the featured tracks.  Hopefully you’ll enjoy it as much as I did and still do.  Happy New Year and if 2017 brings half the wealth of treasures that 2016 did, we’ll be immersed in a soundscape of musical gold!

Northern HI-Lights – The Best Nordic Songs of 2016 P1 [Long Read]

Foto Ming Unn

As I sit staring at a blank screen a thought occurs … “where the hell do I start?”

There have been so many searingly good ‘sonicisms’ out of the Nordic belt in 2016 that choosing a “best of” list comprising a dozen songs is nothing more than an “understatement” of the regions achievements.  One has neither the time, patience, nor the resources of Nordic Playlist to conjure up a ‘decameron’, yet a mere dozen songs seems like, we-ll, an insult to the many, many artists whose perfectly crafted gems shall go unheralded in this brief retrospective.

So back to ground zero and the conundrum of where and with whom to start proceedings.

So many great tunes, so many personal faves.  Surely the best tack is to include those ass-kicking, thought provoking songs that resonated, the sparklers that lit up the midnight darkness, and the emotional tendrils that reached out and touched one’s soul with their tenderness, rawness and honesty.  And let’s not forget those that, well to put it simply, just made us smile.

So without further ado, and in no particular order of merit, here’s Part 1 of a medley of some of the best Nordic tracks of 2016. Songs which for a myriad reasons, professionally and personally, impacted, ignited, resonated, uplifted, calmed, transported and generally made what was quite the difficult year, a lot more pleasant and easier to bear.

Part 1 : 25 – 11

25. Sweet Tempest – The Truth (Den)

It’s songs like ‘The Truth’ for which the word “delightful” were coined. Delightful, wistful vocals float through the most warming of melodies making this track a thoroughly joyous affair.  Hailing from Copenhagen, Sweet Tempest have all that Scandi quirkiness and unique sense of style we’ve witnessed in other well known Danes like Stine Grøn and Birgitte Hjort Sørensen. Radiating happy contentment and positively emitting ‘hygge’ (if it can be emitted) Sweet Tempest are to Bohemian charm what Hans Christian Andersen was to fairytales.  Having laid a solid foundation in 2016, expect great things from this duo in the new year.

24. Chain Wallet – Muted Colours (Nor)

This Bergen trio provided Øyafestivalen with one of its best Klubbdagen performances and courtesy of providence, I found myself, right place, right time in front of one of the best live acts of 2016.  Judging by the hyped up crowd, they thought the same!  A muddle of Prefab Sprout and 80s nostalgia interwoven through a mesh of guitars, and the result is 21C pop perfection. Chain Wallet play with an enthusiastic energy and animation that belie the wistful melancholia drifting through their songs.  A self-titled album received waves of positive vibes.  As the song goes, “things can only get better”.

23. Panda Panda – New Friends (Nor)

D Mc Cloat

The first of two entries from the boutique Riot Factory label, indie band Panda Panda are open, warm, funny, quirky, random and as dynamic as their home-video for New Friends would suggest. Young, brimful of colourful creativity and as energetic as they are ambitious, this is a band who, right break/right time, could set fire to the Norwegian indie scene. ‘New Friends’ was already popular with their loyal cohort of fans before its online release.  Innovative and catchy, unyielding to norms, it blurs lines between strident indie and dreamy pop. Will a debut full length be on the cards for 2017?  One hopes so.

22. Vök – Waiting (Ice)

‘Waiting’ is a track positively dripping with elegance and class.  Slick, immaculately tailored and slightly stand-offish like a well heeled Sloane, this track reeks of confidence.  If Carlsberg did Iceland electronica it would be Vök!  Cool, competent, understated, Vök make intelligent, mature music that’s far from the black and white affair it first seems.  This is more than just electronic music – it pushed experimental boundaries in the most controlled and stylish of ways.  Margrét Rán’s somewhat detached vocal blows an Arctic chill across a spectrum of undulating and spiralling synth patterns.  This is a band on the cusp of reaching their zenith.

21. Masasolo – Really Thought She Loved Me (Den)

Masasolo – what’s not to love, eh?  Cool, laid-back, slacker vibes meets Summer tinged psych.  There’s nothing remotely ‘rush hour’ about their mellowed out sound, which simply floats.  To be honest, it was a toss up between this and ‘How it Feels’ but the chilled out, dreamy vibe of ‘Really Thought’ won me over. Gentle, thoughtful, soothing, inviting – the type of touching vocal and relaxed sounds combo of which the world needs more!

The first of two appearances by blond strummer, Jacob ‘Jake’ Haubjerg, more of whom anon.

20. Lumikide – Golden (Nor)

Foto: Magnus Haaland

One of the many happy accidents of 2016, I came across Lumikide when researching another band Antler, with whom they share drummer Axel Skalstad.  One month later I found myself sharing air at Oya with band member Martin Tonne. Norway is like that!  One big friendly loop.  ‘Golden’ is as golden does – lustrous, iridescent indie-pop overflowing with gilt edged melodies and jazz infused percussion courtesy of the afore-mentioned Axel. Rich, bewitching vocals take already soaring sequences to dizzying heights, but not to the extent that it all becomes otherworldly and flimsy.  This is gauze swathed punchy pop, arranged with precision and underpinned by ‘crack’ instrumentation.  Lumikide are currently working on new material – can’t wait.

19. Electric Eye – Bless, Al Lover Remix (Nor)

Can anyone else hear the ‘Even Better Than The Real Thing’ Edge vibe to the guitar hook around which this track revolves?  One of THE top lives acts at Øya ’16, the varnish was all but bubbling on the woodwork such was the scorch coming from those guitars. EE are seasoned pros who know their audience and give them what they want.  Purveyors of retro psych updated to blend perfectly into a modern haze, this outfit from Bergen are one of the best acts in Norway right now.  Hot from success at Roskilde and SXSW, 2017 should see them light up even bigger and better festivals.  Unfort I couldn’t find a YT link to the Al Lover remix so behold, ‘Bless’ in all its original splendour!

18. Fufanu – Ballerina in the Rain, Nick Zinner Remix (Ice)

Einarssonx2 make up Icelandic post-rock outfit Fufanu.  Kaktus E owns vocal duties while Guðlaugur E (pronounce that I dare you) does guitars. With remixes dropping from the renowned fingertips of Damon Albarn and Nick Zinner, stints at Iceland Airwaves and a second album, ‘Sports’ in the can (due out in Feb) you could say they had a pretty good 2016. Frontman Kaktus is part Iggy Pop, part Liam Gallagher: hidden in an undergrowth of sullen, indifferent swagger fizzes sassy attitude and possibly a stick of gelignite.  ‘Ballerina’ is one of those tracks whose toxicity knows no bounds.  Its darkly hypnotic guitars, languid vocals and brooding, volcanic atmosphere pack a powerful punch! Fufanu are about to hit the UK with a bang details & would you believe my luck, are playing Oslo’s By:larm the year I can’t go!

17. Palace Winter – Soft Machine (Den)

Antipodean Carl Coleman caught the eye of Danish synth maestro Caspar Hesselager two years ago and the rest as they say is history.  Palace Winter’s debut album, ‘Waiting for the World to Turn’ which dropped in June and was greeted with a myriad of multi-star reviews, has fired these musical innovators into an out of orbit trajectory ie. the cosmic highway travelled by darlings of Lauren Laverne, Liz Kershaw and Tom Robinson! Standout single ‘Soft Machine’ is their best track to-date.  Subtle and paired back, it is a masterclass in tender elegance and restraint, in which the symmetry between Coleman’s country influences and Hesslager’s synth-led ingenuity is sheer perfection.  With By:larm, Roskilde and Green Man in the 2016 bag, 2017 should bring their sounds to an even wider audience.

PS – the afore-mentioned Masasolo muso, Jake, spellbinds (the word playing would be an insult) some electric guitar & then some with PW for their lives!

16. Highasakite – Golden Ticket (Nor)

What’s to say that hasn’t been said of a year that saw this five-piece shoot from ground zero to stratosphere without so much as breaking a sweat. Practically unheard of outside of Norway before touring with OMAM, Highasakite smelt the first blood of success and came back with album ‘Camp Echo’ plus a list of tour dates that saw them burn through the capitals of Europe, speed through a whistlestop of the US, and take a quick dive Down Under.  All of which will be neatly rounded off by a sold out arena show in their native Oslo this coming March.  Put simply, Highasakite are to Norway what Zara Larsson is to Sweden. In their own words, they’ve “got a golden ticket” ..Watch this space in 2017. This band is going global!

15. Ponette – Hunt Them Down (Nor)

‘Hunt Them Down’ is pure Nordic Noir.  An intensely dark, melodrama filled nightscape illuminated by starbursts of synth fireworks and Helene Svaland’s angelic, ice-tipped vocal, this is the onyx jewel in the Ponette EP crown.  So compellingly good is this song that percussion wizard Trond Bersu of afore-mentioned Highasakite fame, made time in his jam-packed itinerary to craft a rather lush remix of it.  If that ain’t a seal of approval. Recently signed to NO FOREVERS, Ponette are as yet still under the industry radar.  A band to watch out for in 2017.

14. Cats of Transnistria – Thunder Comes (Fin)

Finns Cats of Transnistria served up one of the most stunningly beautiful albums of 2016. Fact. A visceral sonic evocation, ‘Divine’ is woven through imaginative interplay of minimalist soundscapes and Gothic fantasies, expertly arranged and delivered with considerable emotional intensity. Lifted from the album, ‘Thunder Comes’, is a quirky, off-kilter confection of melancholic acoustic, scratchy amps and haunting vocals that is as disturbing as it is mesmerising. The sepia-stained, grainy visual is a perfect fit. Made up of Helsinki based Tuomas Alatalo and Henna Emilia Hietamäki, this duo has had a busy year playing promotional lives in the most out of the way (and we hope exotic) of Arctic locations.  Where will they take their sound or their sound take them in 2017?

13. Bendik – Kriger (Nor)

Bendik

Possibly one of the most uniquely talented and enigmatic of Norwegian music artists to remain a Nordic secret treasure.  Why? Because Silje Halstensen aka Bendik sings in her native tongue.  One can’t help feeling that if, like Icelandic trio Samaris, she ever decides to record any of her thrillingly good songs in English and I’m not for one minute suggesting she should, Bendik would, like all good cream, rise to the top of the music Eurozone.  With a voice that is both at once as powerful as a Boeing engine and soft as a velvet dream, Bendik soars through compelling and passionate synth-fused soft-rock backdrops to create the perfect alt-pop landscape.  I for one, am very much looking forward to hearing what 2017 brings from this genuinely raw and undiluted talent.

12. Snøskred – Blurred Out Lights (Nor)

What do you get when you group four talented, witty, savvy and insightful musicians?  A classy, slick quartet called Snøskred is what.  Erudite, verbose, adept, thinkers outside the lyrical box, this Norwegian four-piece produced one of the best albums of 2016 – ‘Empty House’.  The sound is American, the style is suave, the lyrics thought provoking and the instrumentation consummate.  ‘Blurred Out Lights’ which sadly wasn’t released as a single, is a song for driving in the dark on an unlit, empty road to nowhere.  It dawdles along nicely following a REM-esque line in country until apropos of nothing it brews up a right instrumental storm. One can’t help wondering what would have happened had this album dropped in the US: it has all the sterling hallmarks and polished production to which the Americans are drawn like bees to manuka.  A new album is in the offing for 2017.

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11. Trance Frendz – 23:17 (Ice/Ger)

There aren’t any words in the dictionary to describe the emotional waves that roll over me when I hear the music of Olafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm, the most celebrated keyboardists/pianists/composers of contemporary alt-classical – again one word will not suffice to define the limitless talents of both men.  23:17 is one cog in the wonder wheel that is the Trance Frendz live album, off the hoof improv recorded in Frahm’s Berlin studio over the course of an evening and on into the early hours. The sheer gentleness of Arnalds’s touch, the delicacy of those loops as they fade in and out through Frahm’s altogether darker, more intense sequences is enough to give me goosebumps. Having tried and failed (miserably) to see them play live, both individually and together, I have made this one of my top “must do” missions of 2017.  Expect more brilliance form Arnalds/Frahm this year; nothing that they produce, together or in their own right, ever ceases to amaze.  23:17 starts at 15:22 (and no, that’s not a joke!).

Tune in next time for Part 2 when I reveal tracks 10-1.

 

Worth ‘Millions’ – Panda Panda EP Review

Foto Ming Unn

It might well be the case that a rolling stone gathers no moss, but it’s often the case that a rolling snowball results in an avalanche!

Norwegian band Panda Panda currently has so many snowballs rolling down the slopes of Galdhøpiggen (not just the highest mountain in Norway but in all of Northern Europe) that the combined effect has been an avalanche of press attention and a barrage of enthusiastic reviews.  If they keep firing out releases at this pace, they’ll be so snowed under with wordy positivity, that they won’t be able to move out through doors of their off-piste cabins.

In less than a month, the Pandas (as I affectionately call them), have dropped two singles, one video and an EP. Meanwhile, back at the Nordic ranch, they are currently to be found skating around Norway with their Riot Factory stable-mates, Snøskred and Dråpe, the latter of whom they’ll be joining at the Hulen venue in ‘sunny’ Bergen on 22nd April, dets here.

Having previously featured Panda*2 on this site – check out the interview feature here – it makes sense to continue the tradition and dip into their latest release, ‘Millions‘ EP.  A four-track affair, it comprises the two already released singles, ‘New Friends‘ and ‘Halcyon Years‘, alongside two new songs, ‘Why Are You Still Here‘ and ‘Fuels‘.  Recorded in Greener Studios, Trondheim, the EP benefits from the midas touch of fellow Norwegian, Karl Klaseie’s mixing and production skills.

Panda Panda Live at Trondheim Calling (FB)

Time to talk music!

Up until now, EP lead track, ‘New Friends‘ was probably the Pandas’ most identifiable song, and by default, the sound by which they had become recognised .  Alternating between indie rock and ballad, this passionate yet tender track, peaks and troughs as many times as the relationships at it’s thematic core.  A melting pot of vibrant guitar jams and a low-key, delicately nuanced duet, the musical maturity of this track blew me away the first time I heard it, and still does.  In addition, there is something altogether quite haunting about the central instrumental line running through ‘New Friends‘, that no matter how many times I listen to it, the depth of its poignancy always catches me, especially at the tail-end of the outro.   Check out the home-made visual for ‘New Friends‘ here.

In contrast to its predecessor, follow on single, ‘Halcyon Years‘, has a rockier, more experimental thrust.  Edgy and urgent, the track boasts a frantic criss-cross of Wildhagen riffs and fuel-injected Sponås drumming, yet somehow in the midst of this punchy, propulsive thrang, we find a playful’n’poppy vocal duet, that sweetens the ferocity of its instrumental accompaniment.

One thing that comes across quite clearly in Panda Panda’s music, is not just their willingness to embrace diversity and change, but also their ability to have a lot of fun while doing so.  You’ll catch my drift from this live edit of ‘Halcyon Years‘ – Voila!

Turning our attention to the two previously unreleased tracks, it’s time to share some exclusive insider info which we recently managed to wheedle out of the band.  Speaking about the creative background to ‘Why Are You Still Here?, the Pandas explain:

“‘Why are you still here’ was at first intended for Håkon’s super secret electronica project. The first demo was full of gritty lo-fi beats, an out of tune piano and lots of random noise. Last summer we started playing it at a rehearsal and it immediately felt like a Panda Panda song. We wrote some new lyrics, and rearranged the song structure. We also got noise guru Øyvind Brantsegg, to track some noisy «Marimba Lumina» in the studio.”    

Well Håkon, your super secret electronica project, isn’t really so super secret any more is it??  Oops!

I mentioned earlier that Panda Panda will be playing support to Dråpe in Bergen this weekend, and interestingly enough, one of the first things that struck me when I heard this track was how similar in structure and playing style it was to the latter’s own music, right down to the tight intensity of the lead guitar sequences not to mention the three tons of reverb.  

Another track, another catwalk on which Panda Panda can parade the diversity and borderless creativity of their musical wares. Again, as with most of their compositions, this track alternates between strident and stripped – fizzing with frenergy one minute, and practically in a state of stasis the next.  The extent of Wildhagen’s guitar playing prowess is further exemplified on this track, as is the comparative ease with which the R/S of Jonathan Fimland Kleven (bass) & Oddbjørn Sponås (drums) sync with each other.  

The only word I can use to describe the vocal on this song is stunning.  The purity of Ragnhild’s lark-trilled vocals sends shivers down my spine: it is an unfiltered vocal, whose clarity is of a quality only Norway can produce.  This is the type of crystal clear vocal that so much is expounded upon by the international press. 

You can hear ‘Why Are You Still Here?’ on the Spotify playlist below.

The final track on the EP is called, ‘Fuels’.  Giving us some more exclusive background, the band divulge:-

“The chorus of ‘Fuels’ was actually a part of the first song we made together. It was a really loud song, with a chorus that we loved but a verse that we hated. After some nail biting rehearsals, trying to make it work, we decided to pick the tune apart and make the chorus into an entirely new song.”

Evocative, tender, with vocals as delicate as raindrops falling on the first petals of Spring, this is quite a beautiful song that, with its pared-back, organic production, exposes the depth of the bands adept and intuitive musicianship.  Sparkling Omnichord chords that twinkle like stars, float over a night sky of of bass driven melodies, building to a delicious cloudburst of hazy instrumental gorgeousness of such exquisite tenderness as to induce an hypnotic trance.

You can watch the live visual for ‘Fuels’ here.  It was shot outdoors on a Trondheim roof, which, I’m led to believe, has seen more than it’s fair share of mini-festivals!!  Secret…shhh.

It is worth pointing out that on listening to the ‘Millions‘ EP, it becomes apparent that the crux on which the Panda Panda wheel turns, is the provident pairing of Ragnhild Fangel Jamtveit and Håkon Brunborg Kjenstad. Their perfect symbiosis is the central element from, and around which, all else springs and flows.  The combination of their dawn and dusk vocals, both complements and evokes the lyrical content in perfect harmony with its instrumental backdrop, to such a successful degree as is rarely witnessed in modern day duets.

All things considered, Panda Panda has released an EP of a technically high standard and exceptional musical quality.  Its highly complex arrangements are, on the surface, so glossed over by production of such polish and panache, that one can easily be fooled into missing the intricate web of elements that lie hidden within its dense sonic undergrowth.  I tried to find fault with this EP, and yeah, maybe at times the sound is a little off balance, but only intermittently, and by a fraction, and we none of us would be human if we were perfect.

This is an astonishing debut compilation, made all the more remarkable by the fact that this band only got together a little over a year ago.  As I have said before, Panda Panda has a musical maturity beyond its years and by producing such an eclectically styled, lyrically astute and instrumentally challenging concoction as this at the first attempt, it would not be beyond the bounds of possibility that when their full length arrives, it will be, if not perfect, as phenomenally close to it as this far-sighted group of unique and unbelievably talented musicians can get.   9.5/10

Panda Panda is : Ragnhild Fangel Jamtveit (vox/synth), Håkon Brunborg Kjenstad (vox/guitar), Herman Wildhagen (vox/guitar), Jonathan Fimland Kleven (bass) & Oddbjørn Sponås (drums)

Follow Panda Panda on Facebook, Spotify, Instagram and Twitter.

‘Millions‘ EP is available now via Bandcamp and all digital channels, details here:-

Spotify: http://bit.ly/millionsEP_Spotify  

Tidal: http://bit.ly/millionsEP_Tidal  

Itunes: http://bit.ly/millionsEP_iTunes

Interview : Panda Panda – During which we make some ‘New Friends’

Foto Ming Unn

I first met noise-pop newbies Panda Panda, after their rocket-fuelled, jet propelled set at trendy Trondheim venue Blaest (which I can confirm was the best of all the Trondheim music venues I visited!), as part of the amazing line up for the Norwegian music showcase that is the Trondheim Calling Festival.  Armed with just the faded memory of a solitary track that kept beating a distant drum at the back of a fuzzed up brain, I felt compelled to forego one of the biggest gigs in town, to see this as-yet unsigned band, with their clear, confident vocals and experimental indie sound brimful of youthful daring and exuberance.  My decision didn’t disappoint.

Their performance – self-assured, dynamic, & hugely entertaining – was one of the biggest crowd pleasing energisers of the festival and had the crowd whooping, whistling and generally going crazy.  Afterwards, we had a beer, a chat and some laughs – they were warm, friendly, smart, funny and above all, hugely enthusiastically optimistic.

Since that gig at Trondheim Calling, several things have happened.  First up, Panda x2 has been signed by independent Norwegian label, Riot Factory, whose current roster, which includes the likes of Gold Celeste and Snøskred, is a veritable who’s who of the crème de l’indie crème of Norwegian music artists.

Secondly, Panda Panda unveiled a self-made visual for their musical calling card, ‘New Friends’, receiving enthusiastic reviews from the likes of Musikknyheter and Panorama.no.  If this track, with its kooky vid, provided the ideal introduction to the band and their music, then the just released second single, ‘Halcyon Years‘, which you can hear below, is the perfect follow on.

Where ‘New Friends’ has a wistful, dreamy quality, albeit one blown asunder by a blaze of insistent guitars, ‘alien’ synth sounds and bursts of energetic, adroitly nuanced percussion, ‘Halcyon Years’ is a sparky, propulsive melee, a riot of sonic opposites which the band seem to have had a lot of frenergetic fun knitting together.  With this punchy, feisty and zesty track, Panda Panda are clearly embracing their rockier, edgier side.  Indeed, ‘Halcyon Years’ highlights the ‘beyond their years’ musical talent of this band not to mention a clearly voracious hunger for experimenting with divergent sounds.

Curious to know even more about both band and their music, I popped them some questions about making their video, future plans and who’s currently spinning on their decks.  First though, a quick intro –

Panda Panda is Ragnhild Fangel Jamtveit – vox/synth, Håkon Brunborg Kjenstad – vox/guitar, Herman Wildhagen – vox/guitar,  Jonathan Fimland Kleven – bass,  and Oddbjørn Sponås – drums.

D Mc Cloat

Guys, how did you get signed to Riot Factory and more importantly what did you do to celebrate? Did you have a signing party?

We started talking with Riot Factory back in 2015 after we released our first self-produced single, but only signed to them after making our EP, which we’re really excited about being released through their label. The guys at Riot are really cool, and it feels really good to be on the same roster as a lot of our fave Scandi bands.

As for celebrating, well, the plan was to go somewhere for a beer, but as it’s next to impossible to find a bar in Norway open to serve beer at 10am, we settled for some hot chocolate and ice cream at a local coffee place.

You’re only together a year! Wow. Do you feel that everything has happened rather quickly?

In a way none of us expected things to move as fast as they have. We basically started out in a basement a year ago with some noisy tunes, though in a way that feels like a really long time ago now. We’re extremely grateful for the things we’ve had the chance to do as we’ve had some truly amazing times, both in the studio and, at concerts and festivals, like Pstereo, Trondheim Calling and UKA.

Some of you guys are still in college/university. What will you do study-wise if Panda Panda takes off? Will your studies be shelved?

It’s impossible to say right now, but it would be cool if we did have to drop out of school because a world tour beckoned. 🙂

Image Trondheim Calling Official

Ha ha, I bet. When we met in Trondheim you guys told me that both your influences, and original sound, were 90s Shoegaze. How would you describe your sound today, and who are the main references the various band members bring to the PP table?

I guess we were kind of a shoegaze band in the beginning, mind you only our two guitarists actually knew what shoegaze was to be honest. The music we make these days is quite different than when we started as we’ve been consistently evolving our sound through experimenting with different elements of noise and, a lot of improvisation.

What makes the process of creating songs with Panda Panda so interesting is that we all listen to, and play, completely different music outside of the band, which means each one of us brings something different to the table.

Håkon: Nowadays I listen a lot to acts like The Flaming Lips, Sparklehorse and Grandaddy, but for some reason I always make my way back to the legendary Motorpsycho. There are also a lot of cool new bands from the US, Alex G for example, I just LOVE his new record. 2015 was packed with great Norwegian music with new albums by Jenny Hval, The Megaphonic Thrift, Bror Forsgren and Maribel*.

Ragnhild: My influences range from Beyonce to Bob Dylan lots in between.

Herman: I’ve been getting a kick out of playing free improv and have just discovered a great guitar player called Derek Bailey. I’m also into Josh Homme’s “anti-solo” approach to playing guitar solos. I listen to a lot of soul, blues and jazz music, especially Ray Charles and Etta James. Queens of the Stone Age are a favourite.

Jonathan: I grew up listening to a lot of punk and rock bands like Black Flag, Dead Kennedys and Pixies, bands I still hold very dear. I generally like artists with an uncompromising f**k you attitude and sound, bands who are true to themselves in developing their sound, with a strong ability to communicate. This includes a large variety of artists, from Charley Patton, Son House etc. in the 30’s through to bands like Velvet Underground, Sonic Youth and The Replacements.

Oddbjørn: Bruce Springsteen!!!

You said before that your songs are like small stories about your lives. What story is ‘New Friends’ telling?

‘New Friends’ was written by Håkon during a transition from a quite chaotic period to a really good one. In its essence it’s about being bored and tired of routines, while waiting for something cool to happen, about observing human relationships while searching for some kind of authenticity. It’s also about good times.

Panda Panda Live at Trondheim Calling (FB)

You’ve made a video for the track. Where was it filmed and who came up with the ideas?

We spent most of our money on recording the EP, so we put on our best DIY shoes for the music video. We ended up borrowing a camera from Håkon’s mom and shot the video ourselves in a gymnasium at a local primary school.

Ragnhild came up with the initial idea for shooting the video in the gym, and then we figured out the rest together. None of us has any experience with video editing, so we asked Ranghild’s brother, who luckily was happy to help. He took some liberties in the editing process though, which resulted in some unexpected craziness.

You look as if you enjoyed making it. Was it a lot of fun?

Yeah, it was a LOT of fun. None of us had been in a primary school gym for many years, so we spent a lot of time just playing around. Synchronized dancing in burgundy tights was definitely a first, however it felt surprisingly comfortable. There were some kids outside the window that gave us the finger and then ran away. When they came back to do it again Ragnhild gave them the finger back.  You should have seen their faces, haha.

Okay, so when everything has fallen into place musically, is there a timeline for going into studio and do you have any idea who you want to work with?

Hopefully we will finish an album sometime in 2017. We haven’t decided on the details yet, but we really enjoyed recording with Karl Klaseie** from Snøskred behind the mixing desk. We think it was a very constructive collaboration, so who knows, maybe we’ll ask him to work with us again. If one of us wins the lottery we’ll consider recording the album with Timbaland! 🙂

Ragnhild, you made the costumes for the Trondheim Calling gig in Blaest. Why was it important for the band to be androgynous on stage? Does it help detach your personal selves from your Panda Panda selves, or are they indistinguishable?  Will you continue to make them?

I’ll probably continue making costumes for the band yeah mainly because it’s really fun. I made the costumes we have now a bit androgynous, not to detach our personal selves from the band, but simply because being gender neutral feels kind of liberating. And because it looks cool of course!

You’ve just released another single, ‘Halcyon Years’.  Can you give us some insight into the background?

Sure thing.  Halcyon Years has two thematic inspos.  On the one hand it’s a bittersweet tune about a turbulent relationship, on the other it looks to the stories of the old testament. In the beginning we had huge issues trying to play it together because its tempo was just so fast it literally ran away from us, but once we got into the studio we slowed it down and added some piano and strings to give it more texture.

You mentioned an EP earlier. What exactly is the plan regarding future releases through Riot?

Our 4-track EP is out on the 15th of April. We’re twirling with excitement!  We’re also buzzing about making another video for our next single.   Right now we’re writing some new songs and when we have the material we need and it feels right, we’ll start to record an album.

Is a promotional tour on the cards in the months after the EP release!!

Yes!!! We’ll announce full details soon.  What we can tell you right now is that we’ll be playing Hulen, in Bergen, on 22nd April, with the fantastic Dråpe and we’re super excited!!!  Details here.

Exciting times then for Panda Panda.  On the back of the two singles they’ve already put out, I have absolutely no doubt that the rest of the tracks on the upcoming EP will be firecrackers!

‘Millions’, the debut EP from Panda Panda will be released via Riot Factory on 15th April, put the date in your musical diary!  Meantime, you can stream/download/through some cash at ‘Halcyon Years‘, here iTunes: http://bit.ly/236gPZL here Tidal: http://bit.ly/1X2Q2d3 and here Spotify: http://spoti.fi/1oq7PyN

Follow Panda Panda on Facebook and Spotify.

*Maribel’s latest album has not yet had its international release.

**Klaseie runs Greener Studios in Trondheim. Snøskred is an indie outfit also signed to Riot whose debut album, ‘Empty House’ has received rave critical reviews from the likes of Best Fit, Clunk Mag and Norwegian mag, Gaffa.

With More Guests Than A B&B, This Is No Empty House

Foto: Kristin Slotterøy

Isolation, desolation, a sense of failure, and loneliness; just some of the things caused by the breakdown of indigenous industry and collapse of local economies.

“Empty House, No-one’s been around, the neighbours gone, there’s no-one left in town”

So begins ‘Motor City’, the solemn opener to ‘Empty House’, the international debut album from Norwegian band, Snøskred, and song which has the collapse of car manufacturing in Michigan at its heart . 

‘Motor City’ with its soft, Americana wistfulness, contains some memorable moments of slide guitar and harmonica, which together produce glorious sequences harking back to John Barry’s wondrous soundtrack for ‘Midnight Cowboy’.  Despite having a pretty bleak theme, the song ends with the merest hint of hope.  A delightful, lingering dream sequence comprised of ascending, guitar and synth chords, gives just the faintest notion of pealing bells heralding good news.

 

“Seems I’m winnin’ 9 times outta 10, All it takes is a weak link in the chain”

When you play the track ‘Preparations’ you will hear one voice and one voice only – and it’s not that of a Lars Ove Fossheim – who’s in the vocal driving seat for this ride.  It IS that of one Mr. David Byrne – for those too young to know, I have embedded the wiki – go read & then listen to Talking Heads, Stop Making Sense.  Best track on the album by a country mile (I can hear all the “critics” groaning).  David Byrne super-grouping with Bowie and Suede.  Need I say anymore?

‘Preparations’ is a far cry from the REM “End of the world as we know it” darkness of the first ten minutes, but in a humorous twist of irony, the band have used those very same words in its lyrics!! This little belter, brimful of chiming guitars, sweet synths and doolally lyrics, would, thematically, make for some great visual fodder, should Snøskred have a mind to make an off the wall, Monkees meet Talking Heads type video.

 

Next up is another personal fave, ‘Blurred Out Lights’, and yayhay, a song in which I can actually hear some R.E.M and, wait for it, Yo La Tengo (#privatejoke!).  I must also confess to hearing a lot of what one might call, Charlie Watts style drumming on this album, and none moreso than on this little number.  Was Kyrre Laastad channeling his inner Charlie in the hopes of getting some “Satisfaction”?  Who knows.

Be that as it may, this is a cracker of a track that finds Fossheim and Klaseie rockin’ out on their guitars and hopefully having a lot of fun in the process.  Veering in an R.E.M. country-psych direction with a spacious vocal, this track starts off “harmlessly” but builds gradually in an upward spiral, until after a brief trompe l’oreille, it explodes into an instrumental frenzy of chaotic guitars and an insistent free for all on the part of the R/S.

 

Mirage: “an unrealistic hope or wish that cannot be achieved”

Having already reviewed Snøskred‘s latest single, ‘Mirage’, I’m not going to explore it any further.  Suffice it to quote: – “A musical chimera, ‘Mirage’ is a series of musical layers – a melding of several sketches, spliced and diced, that have been very haphazardly “mille-feuilled”.” You can read the full review, here.

“Is there someone looking out for us? The same way every shepherd looks out for all his sheep, But there’s no-one, looking out for me”

Next up is ‘Lexington Hotel’, virtual home to Klaseie’s mob nightmares, the inspo for the track.  Tantalisingly hypnotic, it undulates to the provocative beat of the rhythmically synced R/S whose densely compacted sound adds to the tracks intensity, by making it feel somewhat claustrophobic. Ingeniously, drummer Kyrre Laastad used three different drum kits, congas (and not to my eternal shame, bongos #blushes) and a vibraphone to concoct the deliciously languid and cavernous percussion. Yum.

The vocal has Damon Albarn stamped all over it, with Klaseie having that same Albarn-esque way of letting the vocal slip effortlessly from his lips – languorous, subtly playful, and nonchalantly cool.

A rich, sticky ooze of dark toxicity, ‘Lexington Hotel’ lures, captivates and holds you in thrall to its highly potent, dangerously addictive nature.

“So this is what it’s all about, time stands still when you’re around, the pieces fall in place, the puzzle’s done”

‘Puzzle’ is a cheeky little thing, full of “Sunday Morning” vocals, happy clappy percussion, extended guitar chords like noonday rays of sunshine, and an uplifting medley of groovy synth sounds.  All of this is underpinned by Martin Hvidsten Berger whose adept shaping and expression of the bass lines  both drive the song and glue it together.

 

The album closes with the track ‘Homeless’ which essentially tells the story behind how three different people became homeless when the world economically imploded and the boom went bust, thereby blowing the lives of those living within it to smithereens.  It’s a stirring, lyrically pensive track, in which an accusatory vocal is filled with spaces leaving its indictments hanging in mid air, above an intensely moving instrumental accompaniment.

A sombre end, it brings ‘Empty House’ full circle to a close as solemn as the beginning.  This album runs the gamut of emotions, touching on tough, stark subject matter, expressing it with clarity, and just the right amount of empathy to resonate with the listener.  The dark is interspersed with moments of light frivolity that give the album balance.  Musically it is technically proficient,  instrumentally adventurous, and excellently arranged.  Self-produced by Karl Klaseie and Kyrre Laastad, it is a well polished but yet not too shiny production, retaining enough grit to have an edge.

‘Empty House’ is a carefully crafted disparate world, full of colourful virtual visitors and fleeting influences, but at its heart sits an oasis of tranquility and calm in which the listener can mindfully reflect upon its thought provoking messages and stark real-life themes.

Snøskred are: Kyrre Laastad: Drums, Lars Ove Fossheim: Vocals and guitar, Martin Hvidsten Berger: Bass &
Karl Klaseie: Vocals and guitar.  The band embarks on a promotional tour in April; full details can be found on their Facebook page.  You can also follow them on Twitter.

 

‘Empty House’ is available now via Bandcamp, and the usual other sources, including iTunes and Spotify.

Trondheim Calling : Gig Review – Kari Harneshaug

Photo DMc Cloat

Standing near the front of the stage in Dokkhuset Scene watching Kari Harneshaug perform on the last night of Trondheim Calling, it slowly became apparent to me that I was undergoing both a mental and musical shift.  While I had always found Kari’s music both interesting to listen to, and fascinating to explore, it was with rapt astonishment that I watched her performance unfold over the too short course of thirty minutes.

Kari performed her six-track setlist accompanied by a 5-piece backing band comprising of none other than slick n savvy Snøskred aficionados, Karl Klaseie (on guitar) and Kyrre Laastad (on synths).

Standing in the centre of the dimly lit stage, the singer cut a diminutive, elfin like figure, but my God when she started to sing did it become obvious that there was nothing nanoscopic about her commanding vocal presence.  Kari Harneshaug cuts a most deceiving figure – what she lacks in physical stature she sure as hell makes up for in vocal weight.

Song after song was vocalised with requisite exuberant energy, theatrical drama or understated potency.  The link that bound was the vice like grip the singer had over her breath control, pitch and delivery.  Harneshaug wields her vocal tools with pinpoint precision and as a result, was in full control of her performance throughout.

Experimental and eclectic, her multi-textured, many splendored songs, allow for varied artistic interpretation, ranging from  subtle to melodramatic; an experienced performer, Kari gave carefully considered deliveries that perfectly expressed the varying waves of emotions rolling through her songs.

Highlights of her set included ‘The Great Sea’ and latest single, ‘Wild One’, but it was the track ‘Lower My Eyes’ that blew me away and IMO stole the show. This highly evocative, somewhat provocative slinky jazz-blues number, sizzled with Klaseie’s spotlight hogging, electrifying guitar playing, that was nicely balanced by some relaxed percussion, trickling rivulets of synth and shots of piano.  Laid back lush, sung with a smoky vocal, this had (and still has), all the hallmarks of a sensational blues infused hit song.

Kari Harneshaug’s live set gave her music a 3D quality I would not have hitherto  believed possible.  Intensely atmospheric, superbly instrumented and exquisitely vocalised, it was a perfect performance.

Perfect performances are rare, not for Kari Harneshaug.  5/5.

”Lower My Eyes’ features on Kari’s upcoming record, ‘We Were Closer To The End’, due for release on 26th via NO FOREVERS, (so you’ll be able to listen to it then!) and you can follow Kari on Facebook, to keep up with all her musical endeavours.

Kari Harneshaug Setlist : The Signs Have Been Telling Me, The Great Sea, For Our Love, When The Day Creeps Up On Us,  Lower My Eyes, Wild One

Snøskred’s ‘Mirage’: A Shimmering Chimera Under the Norwegian Sun

Foto: Kristin Slotterøy

Mirage: “an unrealistic hope or wish that cannot be achieved”

In advance of the release of their International Debut album, ‘Empty House’, on 19th of February, Norwegian indie four-piece, Snøskred, have just dropped single, ‘Mirage’ the third track to be lifted from their much anticipated LP.

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“Are all the memories here to stay, Can I just store them, or will they slip away?”

” ‘Mirage’ is about things that seem difficult to understand and explain, but which have a clear internal logic,” explains vocalist and guitarist, Karl Klaseie.  “The track was recorded last summer during the hottest day of the year, in a studio without much air conditioning, but with a gigantic window through which the sun was blazing. It’s possible that left its mark on the track.”

On one hand ‘Mirage’ feels ‘random’ – it has an overwhelming sense of having been created via the freeform methodologies so successfully used by such jazz enthusiasts as Mark Hollis, or those 70s Kraut experimentalists, Can.  It is a like a series of musical layers – a melding of several sketches, spliced and diced, that have been very haphazardly “mille-feuilled”.

On the on the other hand, there is an underlying sense of of cohesion, albeit one that was arrived at by chance.

“Your skin feels just like new, but the scars though, always tell the truth”

Each individual sketch has its own personality – the dark beat driven intro with is sense of anticipation, the OMD vibing synth beats (speed it up a bit and you’re in Enola Gay territory), the infectious if slightly schizoid slide riffs of Lars Ove Fossheim through which Klaseie adds barely there scratches of guitar.  Muddled through that sonic cocktail are the intermittent mini-sermons from the Hammond and the varied percussive interpretations from thumping bass drum to the continuous soft-chick high hat that slowly builds into something more defined and insistent.

Guitarist Lars Ove Fossheim elaborates, “The song evolved with the help of minimalist drum machines from 1982, a gospel-like Hammond organ, a bass player in a trance, a super-close Telecaster and overdubs slide guitars”.  (Makes note to ask what had bassist Hvidsten Berger in a trance?)

Bit by bit the layers are built upwards from Martin Hvidsten Berger’s continuous bass loops bubbling into the continuum and beyond, that act as the foundation for the musical stack. Yet despite the many and varied layers, it is a track full of spaces – big, small, wide, deep – they are omnipresent throughout, adding to its expansiveness.

“Is there someone looking out for us? The same way every shepherd looks out for all his sheep, But there’s no-one, looking out for me”

‘Mirage’ has a very ‘Albatross’ vibe, comprising a slow moving, heavy atmosphere full of lifeless heat intermittently relieved by washes of shimmering slide.  It is the clever combination of these divergent elements that creates the perfect musical mirage.  Lyrically, it is searingly honest, but the trademark lazy-like dreamy quality of Karl Klaseie’s vocal lessens the sting somewhat.

The song ends with a series of tightly coiled guitar riffs and random bursts of spitfire drumming (much to my delight), the only constant still being the bubbling thrum of the bass.  However, a jigsaw of many parts, it warrants several repeat plays if only to recognise and do justice to, the various sketches and their respective performers.

A collection of musical oddments, thrown together at will, the many elements of ‘Mirage’ somehow cohese to paint a musical picture that was only ever just a blurred figment of someone’s imagination.

Snøskred have proved that by leaving the creative door open when they entered the rehearsal room, they allowed themselves the space to develop a more cinematic, unique and potent sound than had hitherto been present in their songs.  Which bodes well for their much anticipated album, ‘Empty House’ due out on 19th, the vinyl ed of which I want parked on my turntable asap, and which I envisage shall remain there, for some time to come.

You can buy, preview & download ‘Mirage’ via iTunes or Riot Factory on Bandcamp.  ‘Empty House’ is available to preorder via iTunes.

Watch the phantasmagorical video for ‘Mirage’ made by film-maker friend of the band, Eirik Havnes.

Follow Snøskred on Facebook and Twitter.

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Single Review : Snøskred – ‘Lexington Hotel’

Today we are introducing Snøskred, an upcoming four-piece from Norway. They hail from Trondheim,  Norwegian music mecca and home of rock, and comprise Karl Klaseie (vocal/guitar),  Lars Ove Fossheim (vocal/guitar), Martin Hvidsten Berger (bass) and Kyrre Laastad, (drums).

Snøskred are signed to indie label, Riot Factory, and it was through RF sub-label, Sad Songs for Happy People, that they released their domestic debut album, Whiteout, in late 2012.  Recorded in Greener Studios, Trondheim, the album was self-produced with the help of Gold Celeste frontman, Simen Hallset.  Two singles, Come Closer and We Are (7″) were warmly received with the album itself being hailed as one of the best indie releases of the year.

Much touring, gigging, projects, writing, and recording later, September 2015 saw Snøskred release ‘Puzzle’, the lead track from their long awaited international debut album, ‘Empty House’ which they started recording in June 2014, again in Greener, and which is due for release 19th February coming.

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In advance of the album launch, the band have just dropped new single ‘Lexington Hotel’ about which lyricist, Karl Klaseie explains:

“‘Lexington Hotel’ came to me in a dream after a late night viewing of Scarface. I was in the middle of a mobster shakedown and woke up thoroughly confused and sweaty.”

 

Louche, I think is the word I’d use to describe this track; a slow, sexy, languidly louche sonic strut.  Actually, it doesn’t so much strut, as undulate, to the provocative rhythm of its sensual pulse.

Fraught with tense, menacing, guitars, and blackened by moody, cavernous basslines, the lingering instrumental is an atmospheric slow-burn. Martin Hvidsten Berge’s bass peripatetics wholly underpin this track – a musical marvel to behold on this doom-laden composition – its dark, heavy, syrupy sound transudes through tremolo heavy walls of grinding guitars.

Kudos to Kyrre Laastad for some very cleverly arranged percussion including some lovely, lazy conga/batá beats. Actually, the sync between the RS is tighter than tight, thereby adding to the songs intensity by making it feel somewhat claustrophobic.

Conversely, the chorus is something of a release, coming like a breath of fresh air after the stifled atmosphere of the verse. Warm melodic Kraut-country lines lift the mood, with some gorgeous, shimmering guitar sequences from Lars Ove Fossheim, giving memorable if momentary relief.   And so it plays out, long stretches of dark, brief flashes of light, which lead into a final electronic fuelled thrum that gives the track an interesting if unexpected close.

The vocal has Damon Albarn stamped all over it, with vocalist Karl Klaseie having that same Albarn-esque way of letting the vocal slip effortlessly from his lips – languorous, subtly playful, and nonchalantly cool.

Timing is everything and Snøskred’s is impeccable: the arrangement is timed to perfection, thereby ensuring maximum effect.  Highly imaginative, exceptionally well mixed, arranged with pinpoint accuracy, and very perceptively produced, this is an extremely unique and very strong track that hopefully gives a pretty clear indication of what is to come on the album.

A rich, sticky ooze of dark toxicity, ‘Lexington Hotel’ lures, captivates and holds you in the thrall of its highly potent and dangerously addictive nature.  You are left longing for more …

Snøskred play two live sets during  the Trondheim Calling Festival, the first on Thursday 4th at Moskus 23.00, the second on Friday 5th at Olavshallen Lille Sal 23.30, details here – http://trondheimcalling.no/artister/sn%C3%B8skred/

‘Lexington Hotel‘ is available to stream via Spotify and to download via Amazon.  It is also available via Bandcamp.  The album, ‘Empty House’ is scheduled for release via Riot Factory, on 19th February.  You can follow Snøskred on Facebook and Twitter.