Norway
ALBUM REVIEW: Susanna – ‘Baudelaire & Piano’: recasting the poet in solo dusk
TWO things to note from the off about the Norwegian chanteuse fatale born Susanna Karolina Wallumrød: firstly, she is both a deep appreciator and fashioner of the arts – no throwaway, careerist pop remixes her, no dalliance with song for song’s sake. Music, and art more broadly, is far too important business for frippery; life …
See: Enslaved share psychedelic video for new track Urjotun
Norway’s progressive black metallers Enslaved have today released third single ‘Urjotun’ from their upcoming studio album ‘Utgard’ due 2nd October via Nuclear Blast. Vocalist Grutle Kjellson commented:“The lyrical idea for Urjotun had been spinning around in the chaos in the back of my head for quite a while, when Ivar sent me the riff-demo last autumn. I knew instantly that this was it, the very soundtrack …
ALBUM REVIEW: Siv Jakobsen – ‘A Temporary Soothing’: fashioning a gem of folk delicacy from the lived experience
SIV JAKOBSEN, who grew up on the south-western edge of the wider Oslo conurbation, is a folk artist who is really is singing from the heart. Hailing from the fjordside community of Asker, she studied at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachussetts, honing and exploring. She took her first steps out there …
ALBUM REVIEW: Jaga Jazzist – ‘Pyramid’: graceful, off-world jazz suites remind us how 2020 should be
JAZZ is back in a big way on these shores, with The Comet is Coming, BCUK, Nubia Garcia all absolutely tearing it up with triumphant, high-profile shows – at least until it descended. (Shows: they were a thing, right?) But over at labels like the eternally cool and crisp British breaks imprint Ninja Tune, jazz …
Premiere: Beezewax – Mom and Dad
Beezewax have been pillars of the Norwegian indie scene for over a decade, fading in and out of the scene, as bands do from time to time, but providing consistently energising material throughout. We are privileged to premiere their new song ‘Mom and Dad’ which is in fact a cover of a song by fellow …
See: Fight the Fight release new video for ‘Pacemaker’
Norwegian alt-metal quartet Fight The Fight have released their new single ‘Pacemaker’, taken from their second album ‘Deliverance’. In the words of the band: “In Christianity, deliverance ministry refers to the activity of cleansing a person of demons and evil spirits in order to address problems manifesting in their life as a result of the presence of said entities …
EP: Remington Super 60 – Indie pop for kids vol. 1
Like a Norwegian happy pill, Remington Super 60 are back with a new release titled Indie pop for kids vol.1. Its joyful, bouncy and almost childish in the way that only Europeans can be. With titles like Robo learned to whistle and Plastic Duck, it’s not music to take seriously, but has a lovely DIY …
Album Review: Stina Stjern – Kap Herschell
Norwegian artist, Stina Stjern, has just released a gorgeous album entitled ‘Kap Herschell’ that is an enigmatic, haunting masterpiece that seems to capture the Arctic chill of the north while offering a warm enveloping refuge. The album was mixed using unusual recording techniques where the tracks were taken apart, played through old cassette tapes and …
EP: Mats Wawa – Scuzz
Norwegian five piece Mats Wawa are preparing for the release of their debut EP, ‘Scuzz’ which is out tomorrow (23rd February) via Black Pop Records. They’ve been causing something of a stir in recent times, after Mats Wang was booked to play at the Trondheim Calling Festival in 2015 and formed a band to help …
Track: Hajk- Untouch
Norwegian quintet Hajk have followed up their debut album, which showcased their emotive indie pop, with a new track, ‘Untouch’. Sweeping melodies, tumbling synth and gritty guitar lines are all the order of the day, while a sense of the melancholy coats the whole thing. More than that though, there’s melodies that have you returning …