Fishbonery

All Ears 2012

2012-01-12T15:45:00.000-08:00

New track - Contact Compilation 1

2011-10-22T23:36:00.000-07:00

Hal McGee has set up yet another project, this time it will be 60 one-minute tracks of homemade experimental electronic music and noise by 60 international artists, all members of the Facebook Contact Group of Homemade Experimental Electronic Music and Noise

My track is on the first of nine Contact Compilation Project volumes.

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://halmcgee.bandcamp.com/track/how-can-i-sleep-when-you-starve"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;How Can I Sleep When You Starve? by Ronny Wærnes (Norway)&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

Marhaug Forlag

2011-10-08T07:29:00.000-07:00

Great news for us noise addicts out there, finally a book publisher dedicated to noise. Marhaug Forlag is run by Norwegian artist Lasse Marhaug, and the first book out is about Sudden Infant (Joke Lanz), a remerkable and fantastic personality, and an artist with many depths, both in music and his performances and body art. His album - Psychotic Einzelkind - has been a favourite of mine for some time, now. More details about the book here

Terje Berg + Ronny Wærnes + Kjetil Møster @ Dama Di on Wednesday 21st of Sept

2011-09-18T15:06:00.000-07:00

Another gig coming up ion Wednesday the 21st of September @ Dama Di. Kjetil Møster is coming ro town with his sax, well known from his works with Ultralyd and Datarock, but this time on his own. All his work influences himself, and expect everything. Terje Berg concludes the line-up along wit yours truly. Terje normaly sings his songs, but has promised an all instrumental set this time, so expect to be surprised!

Classwar karaoke

2011-08-31T09:27:00.000-07:00

Classwar Karaoke is a collective and netlabel operated by Adrian Beetjes, Anthony Donovan and Jaan Patterson. Formed in 2008, it releases quarterly surveys of music, soundart and short-films by artists from all over the world.

Classwar Karaoke 0015 - 53 soundsubmissions is online. Here is the text to the submissions, and it is also 12 videos in the survey.

My submission:

Ronny Wærnes: Albion Road (Tranquility). Recorded by Ronny Wærnes at Salamanda Studios, Stoke Newington, London, UK, 2010. Edited and mixed by Ronny Wærnes at Råsaft Studio, Bodø, Norway, 2011. All electronics and effects by Ronny Wærnes. A tribute to the peace and love of my friends in UK and London, and especially to those who housed me in Albion Road in June 2010.

We will not lack the will to love.
We must take the streets back.
Democracy will win
the cowardice of the violent
will lose to the brave heroes of the roses

Blaakraft + DimHunGer tonight

2011-06-07T06:43:00.000-07:00

DimHunGer

Free gig @ Dama Di, Bodø tonight if you are in town. Expect Industrial Blues-noise-rock from Blaakraft and Progressive space-punk from DimHunGer with members from HumdinGer. Doors open at 2000, concert starts at 2130-ish.

Blaakraft

The Fluxus Reader available as free digital edition

2011-05-14T11:46:00.000-07:00

Edited by Ken Friedman, this book from 1998 has been long out of print. It is now made available as digital free download. You can choose full download or individual chapters. Get it here

About the book:

Fluxus began in the 1950s as a loose, international community of artists, architects, composers and designers. By the 1960s, Fluxus has become a laboratory of ideas and an arena for artistic exprmentation in Europe, Asia and the United States. Described as 'the most radical and experimental art movement of the 1960s', Fluxus challenged conventional thinking on art and culture for over four decades. It had a central role in the birth of such key contemporary art forms as concept art, installation, performance art, intermedia and video. Despite this influence, the scope and scale of this unique phenomenon have made it difficult to explain Fluxus in normative historical and critical terms. The Fluxus Reader offers the first comprehensive overview on this challenging and controversial group. The Fluxus Reader is written by leading scholars and experts from Europe and the United States.

Dumitrescu/Avram and Stephen O'Malley join forces

2011-01-16T11:52:00.000-08:00

Romanian classical composers Iancu Dumitrescu and Ana-Maria Avram will team up with Stephen O'Malley from noise/metal/doom act Sunn o))), for a couple of concerts in Israel this coming week. Dumitrescu and Avram are well known for pushing the boundaries or making a classical ensemble use the instruments in very untraditional manners. O'Malley is certainly well established within the experimental parts of rock, so this meeting can be very exciting for anyone around those parts.

O'Malley solo performance, Jerusalem Uganda (17 January) Dumitrescu/Avram with separate performance from O'Malley, Jaffa Hateiva (19) Dumitrescu/Avram collaborating with O'Malley, Tel Aviv Levontin 7 (22).

Releases and tracks

2011-01-13T05:47:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I have promoted myself here, so i figured it was about time. Last summer the Split LP (above) with me and Jo the Gardener was released on Pure Pop For Now People. It was released only 100 copies, and very few still available from the label. Image by Ian Land.

Tape Rape Records has recently released a few good tapes. One compilation called Think Before You Act!, with a wide range of noise artists from Norway. One track by me here. Another gem is the debut of the trio Origami Kaførnåkka, the new combo with me, Kjetil Hanssen and Petter Flaten Eilertsen. The self-titled tape (below) is from a session that was recorded in Brugata in Oslo, November 9th, 2009 on a beautiful day. The trio decided to sit inside fumbling with trash and electronics to make some noise. The tape comes in a zipper bag with an info card. The tape is white with yellow hubs and it's sprayed spotty yellow, so all copies looks unique.

More than a year ago I was in Oslo and teamed up with Kjetil Hanssen (actually the day after we recorded with Origami Kaførnåkka) for a live gig at Sound of MU. The gig was recorded and a CDr (below) was released just after the gig. Handpainted covers and a limited edition of 30 copies. All releases mentioned here is available from Looop.

More about tracks: Gould Soundz released a CDr compilation called "With friends like these", consisting of 99 short tracks. Four tracks from me there. I also entered the International Email Audio Art Project, curated by Hal McGee, who proposed an international EMAIL audio art project in which contributors will send to him a one-minute miniature audio work. I submitted one track that entered Volum 1, and my alter ego, Origami Emergencyka submitted one track for Volume 6. All free download, and still possible to submit as the project will terminate on April 1, 2011.

All Ears festival starts today

2011-01-13T01:19:00.000-08:00

Another festival year is upon us. As usual one of the first to notice is All Ears Festival for improvised music in Oslo. This tenth festival in a row marks this year as something to celebrate. With names as Kevin Drumm, Maja Ratkje, Peter Brötzmann and Zeena Parkins amongst many, anyone near should pay the festival a visit during this weekend. More info at the website.

Jazkamer - Metal Music Machine 2 CD (review)

2010-10-28T13:49:00.000-07:00

Label: Pica Disk
Catalog#: PICA026
Format: CD, Album
Country: Norway
Released: November 2010

I've had a small brake from reviewing the Jazkamer monthly 2010, but this is not me quitting the promise of reviewing every monthly. No, I have been busy running a festival, and was planning on picking up where I left with submitting the August release. But what happens? During the festival I was, as the first person in the world, given by Lasse Marhaug himself this brand new Jazkamer release, and being taken by surprise by the title, I knew I couldn’t help myself doing this one first. So the rest would have to wait, but it will come of course. This release is due out November 2010.

When Metal Music Machine was released in 2006, Jazkamer was hailed over the world with this new metal direction, even by their old noise fans who obviously thought nothing lesser of this metal – noise combo. Metal and noise is in many ways related, and Jazkamer founder Lasse Marhaug has numerous times acclaimed his fondness of various metal acts, and his solo work is sometimes heavy and dirty as trash can be, so no surprise when his and John Hegres Jazzkammer turned into Jazkamer, the Metal act (this spelling is used most of the times from then on, even with pure noise releases). More surprisingly at that time though, was the introduction of members from the Norwegian Death and Black Metal, and that they wanted to join such an underground unpredictable movement as the noise scene. But in retrospect it is understandable, as the trashy, dark, scary parts of Jazkamer and the rest of the noise world has these things in common, as also with the moods they create and the loudness and attitude combined with it. Various metal bands has also been closing the gap between genres, as also has been the case with many hardcore punk bands. Incorporating noise in metal would of course be a natural developement using metal effects pedals to the extreme, and bands probably want to take back some of the loud noisy distorted sound from the noise performers.

Anyway, Enslaved guitarist Ivar Bjørnson and Manngard drummer Iver Sandøy teams up with multi-instrumentalist Jørgen Træen (aka Sir Duperman) for this new release in the Jazkamer Metal Music saga, only with small contributions (!) from the founders Marhaug and Hegre, and also from Trond Myklebust. Digesting this makes for an understanding that Metal Music Machine 2 would be less noisy than the first one and more of a metal record. And so it is.

First track, The Metal, is a fast and furious speed trash metal guitar based track of 4+ minutes. It’s a bit pompous without losing energy, but speed varies a bit. The guitar and speed of drums gets me going like a duracell rabbit, this is a fun start. Second track, Bestial Desolation, is just over three minutes. This is more oldschool trash metal from the 80s. heavy drumming, hypnotizing riffs, rhythm changes, faster, more furious. It is almost as it is made in the old days of the 80s when trash was invented. I wouldn’t say as progressive as Metallicas …and justice for all, but it was certainly the very first thing that came to my mind. Not a bad mark, as that was my first introduction to trash, and still is a favourite of mine to this day. I wish it was longer, though.

Noisy distorted really slow guitar riff to start off the third track No Lamb For The Lazy Wolf. It’s 8+ minutes, and other sounds are slowly introduced. No drums during the entire track. It’s dirty, and creates a scary dark landscape, scraping on the surface of your nerves. Make sure the kids are in bed, and you have a cold beer in the fridge to comfort you and cool yourself down with when playing this track. Even better if it’s raining and it’s dark and you are sick having had a hard night out last night. This track will take you to your discomfort zone. The wolf is certainly not getting any lamb, but he is still that creepy guy I would dread meeting on a dark wet night, even around the corner.

Track 4 is almost 17 minutes. Slooooow drums to start with. The track is almost minimalistic to start with. Just a kick, then a snare with a cymbal. Then some feedback. Where is this going? Ah, it’s The Crimson Worm. If a snake is supposed to dance to this, it is wagging extremly slowly. The drums are alone in the rhythm for a while, just adding some gentle guitar feedback. But after a few minutes the doom guitar enters, and later something else is happening. And then that isn’t much either, slowly, slowly it builds itself. The sonic landscape this track creates is very exciting, though. And makes me in a state much happier. Although it’s dark and dirty, it has to have some of those frequencies or harmonies that makes me want to go and finally grab that cold beer. Mmm, that’s nice. The worm doesn’t really go anywhere, but it explores some sound that makes it exciting still. And it’s not over yet.

5th track. Electra Glide in Black. Jazkamer finishes off with again, a classic heavy.The name suggests to me to go and get me a bike, and get moving. Ok, I will. It starts off as a classic road heavy track, but moves after a short while in strange guitar mayhem. BUT then it fades away! What!?! It’s over? No more tracks? Crap, I was just getting into it…the track…

This record is a very good metal record, and follows the first in an excellent way. It’s dirty and dark. It’s fast and fun. It’s slow and scary. It’s got a lot of elements that you rarely find on one album. A bit short at 37 something minutes, but it fits nicely into a vinyl record, so hopefully we’ll see one of those appear as well. It is certainly no noise album, but I am equally fond of metal, so all the better for me. The Metal Music this machine produces has run on my player a few times aready, and it will again. I am certain this record will sell out, as it is a short run subscibtion thing, and being a bit more accessible than most Jazkamer releases, so run and get one if you can even find one.

Nødutgangfestivalen next week!

2010-10-14T04:46:00.000-07:00

It's time again for the great avant-garde happening, here in Bodø, Norway, Nødutgangfestivalen. Free or very cheap concerts as you can see below, and a very exciting line-up, ranging from legendary krautrockers Faust via electronics from NWW master Colin Potter to noise master John Wiese. Spiced up with free-jazz trio Hosho and classical improv together with concrete mixer, not to mention all the exiting Norwegian and local acts, such as noise-rockers DEL, vocal improviser Lisa Dillan and improv-punks in DimHunGer. No surprises left? I can asure you it will be an event of many new and even surprising happenings you cannot possibly have seen before!

Concerts @ Sinus, Dama Di and Kulturhuset

Torsdag 21 oktober på Sinus
Dører åpner kl 20:00 – Konsertstart kl 21:00. Bilettpris; 100,- NOK.

DimHunGer
John Wiese (USA)
Scared Dog

Greg Malcolm (NZ)

Fredag 22 oktober på Dama Di
Kl 16:00. Gratis.

Brakka Soundsystem
Child of Klang + Linn Halvorsrød

Fredag 22 oktober på Sinus
Dører åpner kl 20:00 – Konsertstart kl 21:00. Bilettpris; 100,- NOK.

Lisa Dillan
DEL
Bendik
Faust (GER/UK)

Lørdag 23 oktober Lørdagskafe på Sinus
Kl 12:00-15:00. Gratis.

Artister fra Programmet

Lørdag 23 oktober på Sinus
Dører åpner kl 20:00 – Konsertstart kl 21:00. Bilettpris; 100,- NOK.

Petter O Hanna
Hosho (GER)
Bad Servant (UK)
Capt Credible
Blaakraft

Søndag 24 oktober på Kulturhuset lille sal /foajeen
Kl 15:00. Gratis.

jhp/art-Errorist - Impromptu pour Bétonnière et Ensemble
Ralph & Ralph & Ronny - Improv for pauker, elektronikk og tilbehør.

Søndag 24 oktober på Dama Di
Kl 20:00 Gratis.

Camilla Barratt-Due
UN: Colin Potter & Paul Bradley(UK)

Puma – Half Nelson Courtship CD (review)

2010-10-12T12:46:00.000-07:00

Label: Rune Grammofon
Catalog#: RCD2098
Format: CD, Album (Available on vinyl)
Country: Norway
Released: May 2010

What is Puma? This young Norwegian trio started out as a jazz trio, and they all studied at jazz conservatories. They also fit in numerous other projects, such as Jaga Jazzist, Bushman’s Revenge and Westerhus recently joined Nils Petter Molværs‘ new trio. As Intro winners (Norwegian award for young jazz muzicians) in 2006 they where also given oppportunities to go on tour with noise artist Lasse Marhaug. In recent years they have been regarded as leading talents of the Norwegian improvisional scene.

Although Half Nelson Courtship is divided into 10 tracks, the album works as a whole, almost a suite that moves into various aspects of the sonic palette Puma wishes to explore. There is a highly experimental feel to it, but in many senses also inspired by 70s progressive bands of the more experimental kind. King Crimson around ’73 is mentioned in the press release, and is not much off the mark; Earthbound comes to my mind on some occasions. But they are of course more freeform, almost at times as free as the most intricate Frith could be. But they also explore and varies a lot between…

Fast.

Easy.

Slow.

Siren.

Kraut.

Jingle.

Glitch.

Organ.

Guitar.

Heavy.

Drums.

Sacred.

Naked.

Reverb.

Virtous.

Panned.

Looped.

Organic.

Harbour.

Difficult.

Screech.

Ambient.

Freeform.

Feedback.

Industrial.

Incredible.

Symphonic.

Power tools.

Minor moods.

Wailing guitars.

Gilmour stretch.

KC but no Fripp.

Rhythm. N. Soul.

Symphonic guitar.

Plinkety-plonkety.

Birds, but no birds.

Growls, but no animals.

Sonic fantastic universe.

Subtle noisy strangeness.

Drums random..ly structured.

Loud high pitch and waves of wind.

Will I play it again? Yes, I will play it again!

Whoutcha!

This review is also available in Freq Music Magazine

Jazkamer - Cover by Hair Stylistics CD (review)

2010-10-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

Label: Pica Disk
Catalog#: PICA021
Format: CD, Album
Country: Norway
Released: July 2010

From the Pica Disk website:

“Cover by Hair Stylistics is the july edition of Jazkamer‘s ongoing 2010 monthly Compact Disc series. This month’s album finds Hegre and Marhaug joined by Iver Sandøy playing noisecore. Noisecore is a crossover between grindcore and noise music. One could call it improvised grindcore, as its emphasis is on short bursts of blastbeat drumming backed by screaming vocals and heavily distorted guitar. Often the music is improvised on the spot. (…) Cover by Hair Stylistics contains 129 songs in 20 minutes. Because of the Compact Disc-format’s limited index ability the songs are presented as one continious track. Jazkamer also prefers the album to be experienced as a whole, rather than prominence given to individual songs.”

How can we possibly not do that?

Noisecore should contain hard chaotic drums, chaotic vocals and chaotic noisy guitar (and/or bass). No proper guitar riffs, and difficulty to hear musical elements should also be a part of the overall experiense. In such manners, Jazkamer succeeds very much in doing so. As with a lot of noisy stuff, it is also better to enjoy live than any studio recording. As Jazkamer has recorded this fast an furious, with some mixing after, they manage to make it sound quite live-like.

The noisecore recording tradition is also rough, distorted recordings, with difficulty to separate even the instruments at times. The recording of this Jazkamer edition is at times very distorted, both drums and vocals, but the mixing quality makes it easier to separate the individuals and you can hear what they are doing. It makes for a good listen, even so. Maybe even better as this album is quite long for a noisecore release. It is easy to lose focus after a while, but the mix helps, as there are new interesting things happening all the time. Maybe as Jazkamer is not a true noisecore band, but plays on quite a few strings, as we have learned during the monthly series, they also add bits and pieces to this genre (unintentional or not), that helps the untrained listener to stay focused throughout the entire 20 minutes (my player stops at 19:25) and 129 songs(!). Hailed noisecore bands are usually very fast as Anal Fist, or very distorted. Jazkamer is fast at times, but also slower for a noisecoretrack. For me this also creates a more diverse and interesting listen. The last minute comes out quite weird, even.

This review is also available in Freq Music Magazine

Lisa Dillan - Arousal CD/DVD (review)

2010-07-30T15:18:00.001-07:00

Label: AIMsoundcity
Catalog#:AIMCD138
Format: CD/DVD, Album
Country: Norway
Released: 2010

Lisa Dillan is a vocal improviser originating from the northern parts of Norway. She is a trained and educated jazz singer, but many years ago she moved further away from the jazz, and started exploring the possibilities that lies within improvising with the voice and creating various mouth sounds. When I first watched this tiny woman doing a live performance some years ago, it was a big(!) surprise that she could produce such massive sounds by her sheer voice. Combined with the subtle minimalistic moods and sounds, her playfulness and use of glass and fruit in her performance, it was a pleasant experience. She is an artist with many talents, she has a background from breakdance, and does performances and also teaches in improvising and telemark skiing.

Her second solo album comes a full five years since her debut album, Vocal Improvisations, so it’s been a long wait. Arousal continues in a way her explorations of her own sound universe, and was recorded mostly in the Emanuel Vigeland Museum, Tomba Emmanuelle, wich is one of Oslo’s best kept secrets. The museum website states: “The museum’s main attraction is a dark, barrel-vaulted room, completely covered with fresco paintings. (…) Entering the museum is a unique experience. The impression of the dimly lit frescoes with multitudes of naked figures is reinforced by the unusual and overwhelming acoustics of the room.(…) Vigeland erected the building in 1926, intended as a future museum for his sculptures and paintings, but changed his mind and decided that the museum should also serve as a mausoleum. All the windows were closed and his ashes were to rest in an urn above the entrance door. Influenced by Italian prototypes, he named his building Tomba Emmanuelle.”

In the Arousal booklet Lisa writes that “..in the room endings are present, and therefore also new beginnings – the arousal of life itself.” Arousal is a physiological and psychological state of being awake or reactive to stimuli What is also present is the fact of marvellous acoustics with long reverb, which highlights her voice very well.

So, what does the CD sound like? It starts off with Lisa Dillan creating subtle ambience, almost sacred in wich the sound really comes into its own right. She continues over the tracks with wonderful harmonies, or a careful, subtle performance. She also reads her own lyrics in French, which she does a few more times over the CD. Her love or curiosity in the French language, its tone and rhythm is apparent, and although not being a French speaker, I have a notion she is justifying the language, or enhances the very special sounds of the French words. She continues being playful, minimalistic and noisy at times.

All tracks bar one are recorded in one take, and no overdubs or effects are added. Just Lisa Dillan interacting with the microphone and some sounds created by measuring cups, glasses, and a chair scratching the floor (track 3). I also like how she incorporates some folk inspired tunes or sounds. It keeps the modern improviser in connection with her roots, or culture in some way. The DVD enclosed enhances all the impressions created by playing the CD. Six short film or performances shows exactly how she creates some of her unique sounds – headstanding in a flower pot while making strange sounds, or performing with a dummy with an erotic undertone to name a few examples.

All the way through this magnificent release it is apparent that Lisa is doing her own thing and in her own style. She has not only over the years created her own style or soundscapes, she is also still energetic, playful, unafraid, and very much uncompromising. Coming from a jazz education, she is of course trained as an improviser, but she moves away from all of the strict rules jazz musicians sometimes performs by, and she gives a rat’s ass about what people think too, I guess. Who else would create a mouse call? And why not?

This review is also available in Freq Music Magazine

Jazkamer - We Want Epic Drama CD (review)

2010-06-21T02:44:00.000-07:00

Label: Pica Disk
Catalog#: PICA020
Format: CD, Album
Country: Norway
Released: June 2010

The June edition of the Jazkamer monthly series, We Want Epic Drama, is the first album with the full metal line-up since the highly acclaimed Metal Music Machine was released. Two drummers, electronics and three guitars promises quite an onslaught. However, that is often the case with Jazkamer, two or more members almost always manages to present an impressive wall of sound, no matter what.

As with the March edition, this album is a full-on production, with lots of drums apparent, though not in a metal doom kind of way you might expect from this line-up, but more free improv full speed ahead noise style. Divided into two tracks, this album is more than 70 minutes long. Both tracks starts off with hard-hitting freestyle drums, and guitar and electronics follow. By the mid/end parts of both tracks the drums have disappeared, and noisy guitars and electronics take turns in being more apparent. But this is beside the point. The interesting, exciting works of this album is how Jazkamer explores every bit of the sonic palette. Maybe less of the more subtle sides, but all kinds of feedback, harsh white noise, pink noise, screeching and wailing guitars, whistling, rumbling, airplanes, cars, just to name but a few I could sense myself.

So, does this six-piece make any difference compared to a smaller line-up? It certainly does. For one thing, the use of guitars makes for an interesting change that I like about this CD. At times you hear metal-sounding guitar riffs in combination with free improv use, all blended nicely in the mix of drums, electronic noise and strange sounds. Both tracks have so many layers and so many sounds that We Want Epic Drama deserves many rounds in the player. I find myself discovering new things every time. As with the March edition("Jazkamer – The Monroe Doctrine"), it also triggers a lot of happy places with me. It is hard, loud, massive, energetic and guarantees excitement for me yet another time.

This review is also available in Freq Music Magazine

The Letter by Tom Løberg out on vimeo

2010-05-18T14:43:00.000-07:00

The Letter is Tom Løbergs first short film, made back in 2004. A calleidoscopic story about a solitary man who receivers a letter from ... himself? Sound work by noted noise artist Lasse Marhaug. More information about the film here

The Letter from Tom Løberg on Vimeo.

Jazkamer - Chestnut Thornback Tar CD (review)

2010-05-05T13:43:00.000-07:00

Label: Pica Disk
Catalog#: PICA018
Format: CD, Album
Country: Norway
Released: May 2010

The May edition of Jazkamers monthly series starts with an almost twenty minute long drone track. It's very deep dark and with mellow synth sounds to start with, moving about in my headphones, almost without recognising it, the track creeps upon me, moving more, being more intens and distorted. I hear adding layers, adding sounds, but almost not noticing it. I am feeling relaxed by this soothing, meditative track. Hypnotizing me to go to another place, until the end is blissfull of wideranging distorted noise.

Then the album changes to a more experimental focus. Next up is six short tracks, spanning from just under thirty seconds up to almost four minutes, and one last track of almost fourteen minutes. Most of them are experimental, very varied tracks within themselves. Expressions as a simple guitar loop including acoustic noise, playing with synth sounds adding whitenoise, cut and paste techniques, use of pauses within tracks, massive use of cymbals, distorted burploop, fiddling with guitar, (do I hear someone trying to say something?), free drums, aggressive noise, playing with various soundgadgets creating weird noises, playing with drums and more cymbals, high pitch that almost makes the sound dissapear, room recordings…. plenty going on. One track (7) stands out as more happy-noise. It's a massive wall of drums and sounds that have the same feel to it all the way, not changing the sound image throughout the entire track, although a lot of interesting is happening all the time.

All these powerful changes makes “Chestnut Thornback Tar” very interesting and moves me very much. I am thrown from one end of my emotions to another. From the state of being mesmerized, hypnotized, to wanting to dance. In between I am concentrated in deep listening trying to figure out what comes around the next corner, or thrown off my seat while my head explodes and later being lured back trying to re-assembly it.

The album title could be some Japanese gamer reference, indicating that some of the sounds are inspired by gaming activities, certainly some of the sounds appear to be also. Some of the tracktitles, however shows a more philosophical point of view, as with “We need a painting not a frame” or romantic, sentimental as “Yellow, mountain fur peak” (actually the last and more experimental), or as clearly as “Sentimental Journey”. It is not clear to me what is the albums actual focus. It might be showing the range and variety of some of Jazkamers abilities, in wich they clearly succeeds. If it is to entertain, they certainly do. I was never bored.

New releases from Droning-on Records

2010-05-02T14:10:00.000-07:00

Independent Oslo label Droning-on Records announces on the new website a couple of new cassette releases. Firstly the new tape from Layers Of The Onion called Binnorie which consists of layers of droning guitars mixing nicely in with old harps and other assorted acoustic, ambient sounds. It is a live recording taken at Sound Of MU , Oslo, Norway, on the 25th of February 2010. The tape also features lovely folky looking hand-stamped artwork. It's a limited numbered edition of only 30 copies, so you better hurry.

Also coming up is a tape from KOBI - (Title To Be Announced). This is also a live recording from Sound Of MU, Oslo, Norway. Recorded On the 21st of October 2007. No Date Set for this release yet, though.

Coming later in 2010 will be a CD by Layers of the Onion, plus a performance from The Burning Dog Orchestra

News from the Origami network

2010-04-25T09:02:00.000-07:00

The Origami Republika network has been an interactive network for musicians and have for the last twenty years shared music for free through the website. As it is shutting down, Origami Republika is looking for a new web solution. From the website:

"kunst.no have hosted our online web archive for ten years,
as they close down now, we are looking into more interactive options

origami republika is indeed very active outside this web archive,
and we celebrate our twenty year anniversay with
several new releases, artworks and performances

so do not despair, find us here:
myspace: origamirepublika
twitter: origamiHQ
facebook group "origami republika"
e-mail: origamirepublika :at: gmail.com
yours, coordinatore (aka boe)"

Still a lot of fun coming from the Origami Republika network though, and to make the wait for a new website shorter, the Trass MP3 releases are still online, co-released and and hostet by Norwegian label Ambolthue. The latest release being the Origami Binarika - Windung Zu Selbst Mit Traum (below).

Two new limited acetate releases also out now, the Origami Boe/Cock E.S.P. "Berlin Wedding" 7" and the Origami Boe/Origami Tacet "Split" 10" (Origamie Boe show from Dresden 2007 plus a drone track with him and Michael Duch including backyard recordings from where Bowie and Iggy lived in Berlin). Order from tchartan -att- yahoo.com

Improvising in Bergen

2010-04-23T14:14:00.000-07:00

Next week Bergen (NO) will see two days with various musicians, improvising being the only common aspect of them all. First Bergen Kunsthall will be visited on Tuesday the 27th of April by Will Guthrie (AUS) (left) & Mikko Savela (S), who will present their avantgarde-rock-jazz plus the duo Sainct Laurens (CAN) who by their home-made electronics and acoustic instruments will create feedback and ancient spanking new music.

On Wednesday the 28th Norwegians in Lemur (below) will meet musicians from The N Ensemble (from the N Collective) at Galleri 3,14. Lemur is described as a norwegian all star quartet of composers and improvisers. Combining their work from classic composition, noise, chamber music, free jazz etc - the four instrumentalists of Lemur creates a highly surprising blend of contemporary sound and attitude. While The N Ensemble consists of classically trained chambermusicians, composers and improviser, focusing on merging electro-acoustic, chambermusic and improvisation. For this gig, Lemur and four musicians from The N Ensemble will explore the art of collaboration and create new acoustic music.

John Cage exibition at HOK - 3rd concert

2010-04-20T14:51:00.000-07:00

At Høvikodden Art Center John Cage is being tributed with a big exibition that opened in February and will go on until the 30th of May. The Anarchy of Silence – is the largest exhibition about Cage that has been held since his death in 1992. It is also the first time that an exhibition puts his work into political, artistic and historic context. In addition to his own works, the exhibition features works that he created in collaboration with other artists. Throughout the exhibition period, the commissioned work Studio by Deathprod (Helge Sten) will be on show in the Studio as a permanent sound and light installation. As a finale, Deathprod will hold one of their rare concerts inside this very installation at the last concert day, this Sunday the 25th of April. Also performing on the day is Lemur with Tom Løberg, who will read his Norwegian versions of Cage's Indeterminancy texts. Andrea Neumann will present a reconstruction of Cage's TV piece Water Walk, with a live collage of bathtub splashing, wine bottles and boiling water.

Monolithic in Italy

2010-04-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

Norwegain extreme noise metal duo Monolithic is doing some gigs in Italy the next few days. Whatch out as the pure complex energy these guys are presenting, will make volcanos nice.

Ashes to Ashes Italy Tour
21.04 Monolithic - Milano (Ita) - Magnolia
22.04 Monolithic - Roma (Ita) - Traffic
23.04 Monolithic - Verona (Ita) - Esposta
24.04 Monolithic - Brescia (Ita) - Latteria Molloy

Vocokesh - Electric Indian Blues LP (Review)

2010-04-15T13:21:00.000-07:00

Label: Pure Pop For Now People
Catalog#: Pure 04
Format: LP, Album
Country: Germany
Released: July 2008

I have started reviewing some underground vinyl releases not only Norwegian. My love for the vinyl format will always follow me, and I figured that should count in developing this blog also.

This is my first Vocokesh experience, but will not be the last in account of this release. The LP is beautifully done with a handmade cardboardcover. Limited to 200 copies, there are only a few left at the label.

Side A starts off with a bluesy, untidy, short- just over 3 minutes track. The overall sound is off-tune, with lovely disharmonies between guitar and sitar, which bears very little of typical indian sitar sound.

The next track gives a change of mood and tidyness. No Sitar. Almost 9 minutes, slow blues, harmonies, ambient soundscapes. More spacelike mood, but then it changes mood, almost a very early 70s PF blues rhythm. It is clearly very similar to the chords and bass lines of PF, and this track is one of my favourites on the LP.

The last track before turning the vinyl is more than 10 mins, with lovely guitar sound. They use a bit more use of fuzz and feedback. The track seems more untidy. Halfway it gets more slow bluesy like track two, moving closer to that PF mood, but still more daring use of guitar without loosing it, and without being to prominent and it gives me some chills… as it moves to the end.

Side B starts off with the title track. The sitar is back (electric), slow blues, just over 7 minutes. There are more harmonies, and it is a well built track. Not much happening first, but the eastern indian sound qualifies the name. Good combination of the PF bluesy style and indian moods and harmonies, some organ, lovely track (one of the best also imho).

The next and also last track of the album, is more than 14 minutes. It starts with wind, bass, guitar, quite a long intro. No specific rhythm other than bass. The guitarist is using some stereo echo, which sounds nice. The combination of synth effects and electronics, makes it improv sounding with some jazzy use of drums. Halfway it moves into some blues rythms with some synth, and strange use of effects and guitar. A wonderful bass line-represents the melody, and nice use of the guitar wich feeds here and there without being overwhelming, makes a great finale!

Jazkamer - Self Portrait CD (review)

2010-04-12T13:51:00.000-07:00

Label: Pica Disk
Catalog#: PICA017
Format: CD, Album
Country: Norway
Released: April 2010

We’ve come to the April edition of Jakamers monthly, and of the previous being quite electronic, "Self Portrait" is the complete opposite. A pure acoustic Jazkamer release must be of the rare kind.

This album consists of three untitled tracks, the two first almost 11 minutes each and the last just over 16 minutes. The first impression of the album makes me think of some kind of metal furniture being pushed around at random, and microphones recording whatever happens in the room. Whatever pieces of equipment they use, it certainly comes out deep and multilayered, and feedback-like, dark ambient sounds are still evident. The first track seems to be highly improvised, making the track not going anywhere, but clarely the performers seem to be exploring the sounds that appear as they “move the instruments” about.

The second track starts out sounding almost exactly the same, but after a while it is clear that we have some rhythm. Rhythm being slow moving, but still it is kind of looping going on, same patterns being repeated over and over again. The third and last track is completely different, as Jazkamer moves to some kind of strings. Again slowly moving patterns creating a track that is very relaxing and soothing. So, a very ambient sounding track completes the release of quiet acoustic noise, if ever there is such a thing. All in all a very ambient record.

Sound sample here.

Løver & Tigre re-release

2010-04-10T04:02:00.000-07:00

Plastic Strip Press announces a re-release of the Norwegian punk classic Grr... by Løver & Tigre. Løver & Tigre was an Norwegian post-punk outfit that consisted of members from the Norwegian new wave band The Aller Værste! (Sverre Knudsen & Chris Erichsen), the string-swing band Hot Club de Norvége (Jon Larsen, Ivar Brodal, Per Frydenlund & Svein Aarbostad) and Betong Hysteria (Geir "Bulle" Underdal)

The release comes with seven new bonus tracks, new linernotes and unseen photographs. It will be a Digipack CD with 12 page booklet and it will be in stores on the 3th of May 2010. The album was originally released in 1983 on Knudsen own label entitled Plateselskapet Norge. The first pressing of 2000 copies were all handpainted from scratch in a gigantic one day DIY painting session. This obscure record is now regarded as one of Norways finest post-punk releases and one of the strangest combos of musicians that ever has appeared on a record together.

This re-release of Grr... also includes seven tracks from an unknown live recording, made at the Henie Onstad Art Centre in 1983, which features Audun Strype on bass and Nils Økland playing the fiddle.

Lasse Marhaug Japan tour April 2010

2010-04-10T03:49:00.000-07:00

Lasse Marhaug starts his Japan tour tomorrow. Here the details:

APRIL 11:
MarhauGomi [Lasse Marhaug + Pain Jerk]
Maranata/Kelly Churko
Miclodiet/Ito Atsuhiro
Kubota Kazuma/Endo Kazumoto
Kunt
Ichiraku Madoka
Soup, Tokyo.

APRIL 13:
Lasse Marhaug/Pika (Afrirampo)
Jojo Hiroshige with 821
Maranata
Tatsuhiko Matsuura
ALCHEMY NOISE EXPO 2 @ Bears, Osaka.

APRIL 14:
Lasse Marhaug [solo]
Maranata
Akira Toyonaga
Deie
Takuji Naka
Socrates, Kyoto.

APRIL 15:
Lasse Marhaug [solo]
Maranata
At Hall, Oita.

APRIL 17:
Lasse Marhaug [solo]
Maranata
Corrupted
Fucked
Against Extreme Music Festival, Fukuoka.

APRIL 18:
Merzbow/Hair Stylistics/Marhaug
Maranata/Sayaka Himeno
Lasse Marhaug [solo]
SuperDeluxe, Tokyo.

http://lassemarhaug.no/

New album out now:
Lasse Marhaug: The Quiet North [CD]
Second Layer Records

Easter egg from Ambolthue

2010-03-28T04:54:00.000-07:00

Ambolthue records hands from time to time out a seasonal release. This easter we get one track from Torstein Wjiik as MP3, but make sure to download as it is only available during easter, more spesific until April 4th. Holiday noise from guitar, synth and voice makes the sunny days even sunnier. Available here.

NXP / TheDeadPlayers video

2010-03-28T04:43:00.000-07:00

NXP has started a collaboration with videomaker TheDeadPlayers, and creating sounds to a cpouple of short films. Let's hope we'll see some more! The latest here:

And here is the first.

Nødutgangfestival 2010 news!

2010-03-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

From the festival website:

Artists are booked!

Faust

As part of the celebration of the fact that this is the 5th Nødutgang Festival, and by popular demand, we have invited Faust back. They have changed some of the crew, and appears today as even more experimental, improv as well as tight and samspilt while rocker merged by the majority.This year, Faust consists of Jean-Hervé Peron, Zappi Diermaier, James Johnston and Geraldine Swayne.

Read more...

DEL

DEL is a Norwegian drone-space-freak-psychedelic-noise-out-rock band formed in 1996. Kjell Runar "Killer" Jenssen, Per Gisle Galåen, Lasse Marhaug and Fredrik Ness Sevendal.

Read More...

Bendik

Bendik is actually Silje Halstensen. She plays on everything from organs to guitars, and uses many types of machines, to create a delicious harmony.

Read More...

More news from Ambolthue

2010-03-20T02:06:00.000-07:00

Norwegian label Ambolthue announces the following releases:

CDr by O. Melby titled Marsipan.

From the website: "The second CDr is Dag Stiberg (Maranata, Now We Got Members, My Midnight Creeps), and it's titled Monolithic Time. Better dark-jazz is hard to find!

The last CDr is a singles collected release from Fisk På Disc, and it's titled Fishfingers. This is one of the heavyest release on Ambolthue in my own opinion, and it's good to listen to one or two tracks a day. Strange as only the fishy duo can make it.

Then we have the MP3 release. It's from a new duo called Stegofon (John E. Sandli & Håkon Nordheim), and it's titled Eldorado Paranormal Activity. Beautiful artwork and very good music. Download for free now!"

Torstein Wjiik - Wjiik Let Angreben Af Influenza CD (review)

2010-03-12T12:28:00.000-08:00

Label: Synesthetic Recordings / Ambolthue
Catalog#: Syre 021 / Ambolt -90
Format: CD, Album, Limited to 220 copies
Country: Norway
Released: February 2010

Apparently this is the debut CD of Torstein Wjiik, which is really hard to believe when you look at his discography, where you can find lots of MP3 and CDr releases. Wjiik is the alias of Norwegian experimental artist Kjetil Hanssen. Knowing that this young man has been around and producing sound since 2004, some would say it is about time he appeared on the proper CD format. However, this is usually no guarantee of a more proper listening experience.

The title suggests that Wjiik is slightly attacked by influenza, just like Ibsen was described when his health got worse 6 years before his death, and the tracktitles can certainly be a cronology of getting the flu. Firstly the “Gag Reflex” followed by “The Flu Has Come”, “Screamer”, “Headache”, and so on. Some of the titles are also descriptive. When the title is Gag Reflex, you get, yes a recording of someone gagging (I’m guessing the artist himself). And the track “Oslo Tram”, is a recording of trams in Oslo, nothing more. In between these recordings there are wonderful full on feedback and whitenoise recordings. The track “Brekninger & Feedback” is a wonderful combination of a recording of gagging or vomiting and feedback. You can barely hear the person doing it as it is brilliantly hidden in the feedback.

So, is this CD meant for the noise audience or those who like field recordings or just strange recordings? I believe neither. It seems like Wjiik here has made something he wants to present rather than point it to someone specific. A mix of the said gagging, harsh noise, low-fi recordings and outside field-recordings can seem a bit random at first, but to me the cronology and the way the tracks are mixed proved it differently. Listen to this alone on a cold dark, snowy winter night as I did, you’ll make sure to keep warm avoiding the flu come and get you.

Uncompromisingly put together it can easily be labeled as a release someone didn’t quite know what direction to choose, but Wjiik has many talents, as he has proved before in his massive amount of other releases, and here he shows but a few. Is he making fun of us or is it a well put together concept album? For me it will have to be the the latter, and in contrast to Ibsen he is certainly in good health, although the CD finishes off with the title track.

Jazkamer - The Monroe Doctrine CD (review)

2010-02-25T14:26:00.000-08:00

Label: Pica Disk
Catalog#: PICA016
Format: CD, Album
Country: Norway
Released: March 2010

“The Monroe Doctrine” is the March edition of Jazkamers 2010 monthly abum series. This CD is a 30 minute track with full on noise rock free jazz improv beat hysteria. Performers are the regular four piece of Gross, Hegre, Marhaug and Drønen. Beautiful artwork by José De Diego.

To make it short, the album immediately striked me as something heavy but lovely, a full on wow-factor after just a few seconds, it knocked me way back in my seat, pushing enormous amounts of energy inside me. And it didn’t stop until the full half hour came to an end. Reviewing this CD without emotions is impossible, but I’ll try to describe some of what I heard.

It starts off with a massive wall of sound from guitar, drums, electronics, and I’m guessing, keyboards of some sort. The soundwall is heavy and loaded with bass and lower midrange frequencies, but still it is possible to hear the drums and guitar, although they are not in front of the sound image, but well blended in. Nothing is piercing, and you have to really listen carefully to separate out details. I can hear Coltrane, Hendrix, trains, traffic, cricket singing, jet fighters, blistering feedback sounds, although sometimes it is well hidden, almost subtle inside the mass. Jazkamer produces a fantastic amount of energy all the way through, they never slow down, especially the drums are pounding at an enourmous energy, speed and power.

The title made me wonder if it is meant as a political full on statement, as the original doctrine was made to stop colonising any countries of the western hemisphere. Or is it just a full on statement?

The CD is very well produced and mixed by Jørgen Træen, no noise overtakes the drums or guitars and opposite. The sound in my ears is fantastic, and very rarely noise/rock releases give me just as good experience as a live show, but “The Monroe Doctrine” really does. In fact I might have a new favourite hangover repair album. I am sad when it stops on 30 minutes sharp, and I had to go repeat…

Compact cassette rising

2010-02-21T14:58:00.000-08:00

As CD sales are declining and prophecies about the format vanishing completely, other formats as vinyl is of course coming back to peoples minds and shelves. What is more surprising is that the compact cassette has not vanished, but in fact sales of blank tapes are rising, and some labels release more and more cassettes. Some new labels are solely specializing in releasing cassettes, and here in Norway Tape Rape Records, a sublabel to Ambolthue, and Kassettkultur has been delivering high quality releases of the magnetic tape in recent years. To celebrate one of the most released artist in Norway the last years, certainly on cassette also by the way, Tape Rape just released Lasse Marhaug "Camellia Sinensis", a four tape box including a 64 page illustrated book. Only limited to 100 copies, this beauty is bound to go fast. Marhaug himself owned the TWR tapes label and has been dedicated to still release his works on the said format.

Jazkamer - Musica Non Grata CD (review)

2010-02-15T02:11:00.000-08:00

Label: Pica Disk
Catalog#: PICA015
Format: CD, Album
Country: Norway
Released: Feb 2010

From the website comes this information: "The February edition of Jazkamer's 2010 monthly CD-series. "Musica Non Grata" is a feedback-fest. Armed with guitars and analogue synths and an arsenal of amps, Hegre, Gross and Marhaug locked themselves into Duper Studios in Bergen, exploring how feedback-timbre sounds like when recorded on an analogue 24 track 2" tape-machine. The three long tracks that makes "Musica Non Grata" are slow-moving long-form meditations on feedback that will be bliss for a select few and hell for most listeners. February is not an easy month . CD in digipak cover. Photos by Martín Escalante."

Musica Non Grata is the second release in Jazkamers 2010 monthly series, and the CD has three long tracks. To make it clear and save you wasting time reading further: this is a study in feedback! Those who are still reading might like to know that this full length CD from the trio again being Marhaug, Hegre & Gross, is very much different from last months Solitary Nail. When the latter was one 30 minute track of cut and paste, Musica Non Grata is slowly moving, changing over long periods of time, making the change barely noticable.

The first track “Honda Sound Works” is more than 30 minutes of high pitch guitar, synth and electronic feedback. By insanly slowly altering the sounds, they make the track go on for the full 30+ minutes, and making it sound right. It is not very wide ranging, and the sound stays for most of the trak up in the high frequency range, making it challenging to follow all the way.

Next up is the title track, starting off where the first finished, but here the track is coloured by lower frequency sounds making it very much “easier listening”. Sometimes a mid ranging squeal is mixed in the background. It is however very industrial sounding, and sounds of circular saw and various powertools appear, although I think none of them were ever used.

Last track “Feedback Fans” is a more evident guitar based track, although I suspect other sound sources are used. By pounding, hitting or touching the guitar in some way, a slow rhythm appears from time to time, making the track vary more. The second half of the track is also less full on, and the study of feedback becoms even more evident.

So, was February an easy month? It certainly wasn't bright, but Musica Non Grata has made more turns than normal and made my life brighter and easier in comparison. Musica Non Grata is also worth a try if you think the world of feedback needs further explorations.

Independent record store day

2010-02-03T14:49:00.000-08:00

Good, independent, alternative and experimental quality music need similar good, independent, alternative and experimental distribution channels. Henie Onstad Art Center, highlight this, to celebrate the three most influential independent record stores in Norway. Sunday the 7th of February there will be concerts with Montée, Pow Pow, Alfabulator, and the best opportunities to buy some quality music on vinyl and cd.

Big Dipper, Tiger and Looop are three Norwegian stores as uncompromisingly has promoted alternative, experimental quality music for years. The three stores are and have been a vital channel of distribution and source of income for young artists and record companies in Norway, that does not usually get shelf space and radio play. These three independent record stores are a focal point and meeting place for music enthusiasts, and make an unprecedented effort to spread quality music, serve up a musical diversity and a very interesting music scene.

In order to highlight the work of independent record stores are doing, have Henie Onstad Art Center asked Big Dipper, Tiger and Looop choose themselves their own band to play concerts on Høvikodden on the 7th of February. The audience will recieve a full day of concerts, vinyl and CD sales. Big Dipper selected band Montée who in 2009released their debut album, "Isle of Now" to critical acclaim.

Tiger have chosen the instrumental band Pow Pow as with their debut album, "Leaving Las Palmas" in 2007 made many headlines and was a welcome new addition to the Norwegian post-rock. The band plays a kind of instrumental rock that is reminiscent of Tangerine Dream and Jean Michael Jarre who meets CAN in Tago Mago mode.

Looop has put together the band Alfabulator especially to this event, consisting of Per Gisle Galåen, Kai Mikalsen, Martin Powell and Petter Flaten Eilertsen.

Supporting Haiti

2010-02-01T15:08:00.000-08:00

All over the country artists wants to support the victims of the disaster in Haiti, by participating in concerts. So also here in Bodø. The support concert is arranged by Parkenfestivalen, and it will be on this Thursday, the 4th of February @ Sinus. Tickets are NOK 200,- , and all ticket sales will go directly to Prosjekt Haiti. So anyone close enough to be there, be there! Line-up is: Bobleplast, FipPellektormonic, Kråkesølv, Lady Midday, HumdinGer and Æ. More info (in Norwegian) here.

Lasse Marhaug & John Wiese US west coast tour

2010-01-31T13:38:00.000-08:00

This tuesday Norwegian noise master Lasse Marhaug meets up with John Wiese in LA to start a short west coast tour. A new duo album "Country & Western" will be available at the gigs. The announced dates are as follows:

02.02
KXLU 88.9FM at Midnight
Los Angeles, CA

02.06
w/ Gerritt Wittmer
The Lab (23Five Presents)
San Francisco, CA

02.07
w/ Ryan Jencks, Michael Gendreau
Terminal
Oakland, CA

02.10
w/ Dried Up Corpse, Physical Demon
The Black Lodge
Seattle, WA

02.11
w/ Sex Negatives, The Rita
Hotel Gallery
Vancouver, CANADA

02.12
w/ Zbigniew Karkowski, Daniel Menche
Reed College
Portland, OR

02.14
w/ Seven Depressions, Joe & Joe
The Smell
Los Angeles, CA

Metal Merchants Festival this weekend

2010-01-27T14:56:00.000-08:00

Metal Merchants Festival kicks off on this friday the 29th @ John Dee, Oslo. They promise a weekend filled with metal, screams and pounding drums. Starting off in 2009, they wanted to bring back heavy metal heroes from the past, heavy metal hopes for the future, and heavy metal maniacs of all ages. Line up:

OMEN (US)
TANK (UK)
SLOUGH FEG (US)
THE LAMP OF THOTH (UK)
NECRONOMICON (GER)
DARK QUARTERER (ITA)
ANIHILATED (UK)
TORCH (SWE)
SOLITAIRE (FI)
LAMENTED SOULS (NOR)

More details on the festival website.

Metronomicon Audio release party

2010-01-26T14:47:00.000-08:00

For those around or near Oslo, make sure to find your way round to Metronomicon Audio releaseparty on this Thursday the 28th of January @ John Dee: METRONOMICON AUDIO 4.0: Center of the Universe - Magnus Moriarty™ Pilemil – Hanny – Ergo - CyranoArmageddon Koppen - Siv Sperati, Science & Spheres.
From the Metronomicon Audio website:
Metronomicon Audio is a little CD-R and CD label based in Oslo (Norway) that has chosen to go straight against the massive commercialism, double standards, vanity and unserious behaviour of the music industry.

Metronomicon Audio has focused on the fredom to make the music we like, and our never-resting design and typography crew Yokoland has done the very same in visual terms.

Metronomicon Audio is a community, with a flat structure where the artists have full control of their own music and artwork. We arrange concerts and happenings nearly all the the time, and every year we arrange the event By;Alarm, which is a mockery of all the grammy’s and awards that are to be won in the dirty, terrible, ridiculous and malicious business of music.

Lasse Marhaug celebrates Utech Records

2010-01-24T00:27:00.000-08:00

From the Utech website:

"To mark Utech Records' five-year anniversary Lasse Marhaug recorded a piece of music titled Beauty Without Mercy. The mad, mad, mad Justin Bartlett illustrated a portrait of Marhaug and his internal twin for the cover. Endless thanks to both. To be listened to on proper speakers due to the prominent low frequencies.

Beauty Without Mercy is exclusive here and free with any order of UTECH releases."

Sound Art by Linn Halvorsrød

2010-01-24T00:07:00.000-08:00

If you are in Trondheim you can for another week experience the sound art exhibition Soundtrack Zero 1 2 3 4ever, by Linn Halvorsrød in the Black Box at the Trøndelag Center for Contempory Art. It started on the 15th of January and is due to finish in the 31st. The sounds consists of 20 different loops of various lengths and with different lengths of silence between the repeat, so it all adds up to a composition in eternal change. The image shows the setup.

Jazkamer - Solitary Nail CD (review)

2010-01-09T15:00:00.001-08:00

Label: Pica Disk
Catalog#: PICA014
Format: CD, Album
Country: Norway
Released: Jan 2010

This release is the first in the Jazkamer 2010 Monthly Series. A card following the CD states: “One new Jazkamer album on Pica Disk every month of 2010. One year of music and anti-music.”

Perfomed by the two founders and regular members Lasse Marhaug and John Hegre, plus Jean-Philippe Gross, who also edited and mixed this CD very interestingly.

Solitary Nail is one 30 minute track, although it feels like many tracks. It is a cut and paste of multifrequent parts combined with more one-dimensional sounds. Recordings range from guitar feedback explorations and movement of gadgets wired up with contact-microphone and very low (also volume) bass frequencies to massive full on distortion and harsh noise. At around 13:30 though, the track turns around to explore a more simple tone or feedback of very high pitch. This high pitch varies a lot, but still up there and goes on for the next ten minutes. For me this was the Solitary Nail as it went hard right inside my skull and stayed there for the full ten minutes this part of the track lasted. Be careful using earphones! After this the track moves back to exploring a more easy listening harsh wider-ranging freguencies and definetly multilayered sound.

When the monthly series was announced in November last year, Jazkamer promised to “…keep it exciting all the way, so in keeping with Jazkamer’s eclectic tradition of making very different sounding records, each monthly album will cover the wide (non)musical range Jazkamer has become known for…” With this release they have set the pace, so to speak, as it proves to be, within only 30 minutes, very diverse. It is both multilayered and one-dimensional, not to mention challenging at times.

So, for me Soiltary Nail was both nice and very disturbing at times. An experience. And I had to listen again. To experience it. Again.

all Ears 2010

2009-12-20T12:45:00.000-08:00

The fantastic all Ears festival for improvised music in Oslo is due in mid January. The festival is organized by musicans Guro Moe, Kjetil Møster, Paal Nilssen-Love and Lasse Marhaug. The line up has brilliant names such as C. Spencer Yeh, Zach Hill, Frode Gjerstad, Stian Westerhus, Paul Lytton and many more.

Varde live in China

2009-12-12T08:37:00.000-08:00

Norwegian improv folk group Varde has been on a trip to China, promoting lates release "Folk". Here is a video from the gig in Wuhan.

More Videos uploaded on youtube.

JAZKAMER 2010

2009-12-08T15:28:00.000-08:00

In 2010, the fantastic Norwegian label Pica Disk will release one new Jazkamer CD every month. It will be 12 different albums, and each release will vary as much as Jazkamer has varied the sound and line-up over the years, such as:
• First studio recordings of the metal line-up since ”Metal Music Machine” album
• New ”Art Breaker”-style grindcore recordings
• New ”Panic”-style broken-blues material
• Collaborations with John Wiese, Putrefier, Government Alpha and others
• Material with regular four-piece line-up of Hegre, Marhaug, Gross and Drønen
• And more.

To make it easy obtaining them all, it is also possible to subscribe. More information at the Jazkamer site.

Famlende Forsøk Live

2009-11-08T06:05:00.000-08:00

Here is a video of Famlende Forsøk recent concert @ Henie Onstad Art Center.

Gig in Oslo w/ Kjetil Hanssen

2009-11-03T11:16:00.000-08:00

Finally I will join forces with fantastic talented noisenic Kjetil Hanssen for the first time! We will be in Oslo @ Sound of Mu next Tuesday the 10th of November @ 2100 hrs. This is a FREE gig, and we will do our best to make it worth all the money! For Norwegian speakers, more here

Nødutgangfestival 2009

2009-10-15T13:34:00.000-07:00

From http://www.emergency.no
Festival free download album

As all the years before, Go To Gate Records is releasing a festival album with artists from the line-up to promote the festival. This years album is released as a free download here.

25.09.2009

All artists are final!

Finally everything is final. Legends as Geoff Leigh and Peter Brötzmann (Hairy Bones) are some of the new names presented today. We have also extended the program with some minor happenings on daytime as well, and there is also made room for a festival nachspiel. Check out the program for details. Here are all of this years artists:

PLX-15

Next Life

Lasse Jensen

Synkron Ulyd

Second Reality

Petter O Hanna

To Festivalsjefer

Karstein Djupdal

FipPellektormonic

Geoff Leigh (UK)

Mouches Volantes

Origami Emergencyka

Hosho (USA/Tyskland)

Geraldine Swayne (film)

Hairy Bones (Ger/Jap/It/Nor)

GX and the Haters (USA/Can)

Zanstones w/Zan Hoffman (USA)

Bodycocktail w/Zan Hoffman (USA)

Iancu Dumitrescu, Ana-Maria Avram (Rom) & Bodø Sinfonietta

Check out the program for more details!

Government Alpha, Will Guthrie & more from Pica Disk

2009-09-08T10:58:00.000-07:00

Four new releases from one of my favourite labels, Pica Disk has just been announced. Firstly the Government Alpha "Resolution Of Remembrance 1992-1999" 4CD Box-Set looks just as fantastic as the Incapacitants box from earlier this year. Containing 4 CDs of 62 tracks, remastered from the original cassette and DAT-masters, the box also gives promises of obscure Japanese pure energy noise. Yasutoshi Yoshida's Government Alpha project is one of the leading names in Japanese noise from the 90s.

Maja S.K. Ratkje and Lasse Marhaug joins forces on their "Music For Gardening" CD. The forth entry in Ratkje and Marhaug's "Music For"-collaborative series, is meant to inspire the listener to spend more time in their garden taking care of their plants (I might spend more time inside listening to Pica releases).

Australian soundwizard Will Guthrie has created two intense pieces of drums/electronics. War metal drumming meets free-noise spazz bliss on both sides of the new "Spike-S" 7" single.

Oren Ambarchi and Lasse Marhaug did a tour of China in 2005, and they not only performed live, they also did some location recordings and studiorecordings. A tapestry of this is presented on the "Devil Wolf Men" 7" single.

Going to Schiporst again!

2009-08-03T06:30:00.000-07:00

Long time since any updates, but I have been in holiday mode for a while. Just stepping in to inform that I will be performing 28th of august in Schiporst, Germany again this year. Probably the best festival I have ever been to, managed by Fausts Jean-Hervé Peron and Carina Varain on their farm.

Deconstruction, electronic and acoustic

2009-05-26T11:33:00.000-07:00

On this Thursday, the 28th of May, I will participate in a special concert in Bodø Kulturhus, our main concert hall. As the last of a series of five concerts dedicated to our own hometown, Bodø, this concert will try and look towards the future somehow, how will it be to be humans. There will be dancers, choirs, a small orchestra performing various pieces to adress this. Classical composer Arnt Håkon Ånesen has also composed a brand new piece for Bodø Sinfonietta, a 14 piece orchestra, called "Historicism", and as a final I have been asked to deconstruct it somehow. I will sample parts of the piece during the concert, and use this as the only soundsources for my performance. I have also had access to the score and in co-operation with the conductor created loops for each instrument, only from the score. The Sinfonietta will play these loops during my performance and this will also be a part of my deconstruction of Ånesens piece. So, if you are around our parts of the world, you should not miss this special event.

More info for Norwegian readers here and here

Faust in Norway

2009-03-25T14:46:00.000-07:00

Norwegians (and anyone coming this way) watch out for upcoming gigs by legendary krautrockers Faust:
March 27th 2009
Faust (Zappi Diermaier, Jean-Herve Peron, James Johnston, Geraldine Swayne, James Hodson) and local guests, will be performing their new program at the Borealis Festival of Contemporary Music in Bergen, Norway

April 18th 2009
Faust (Zappi Diermaier, Jean-Herve Peron, Geraldine Swayne, James Hodson, with guests Uwe Bastien, Terry Edwards & Ronny Wærnes (!)) will be performing during the kosmisk kveld Festival, at the Rockefeller Theater in Oslo, Norway

September 12th 2009
Faust (Zappi Diermaier, Jean-Herve Peron, James Johnston, Geraldine Swayne, James Hodson) will be performing at the Numusic Festival in Stavanger, Norway

Meanwhile, you can enjoy the new Faust album, C'est Complique, just released, but contains recordings made in 2006. Available both on CD and vinyl!

More releases

2009-01-27T11:26:00.000-08:00

German label Pure Pop For Now People have released a limited edition LP with cover tracks by S/T. It is called "Andy", as a present to Andy Wilson, and I have done a remix of the track Heilandsbächle, other artists include Phil Wilson, Ectogram and S/T. An even more limited CDR is apparently also on its way. Available from the label.

In addition to that The Drones Club released a compilation CD with tracks from the artists participating in the 2-day festival in London last weekend. Artists where:
Phil Wilson (UK), Giant Paw (UK), The Grand Erector (UK), Ectogram (Wales), S/T (Germany) , Faust (DMZ) (appearing only on CD),Traummaschine (Spain), Ronny Wærnes (Norway). Probably available through the Drones Club myspace.

Finally I have done a compilation CDR called "Så Langt og Lenger mot Nord", and consists of various recordings over the last years, most of them previously unreleased. It is released on Go To Gate records, and will be available from the label.

London and Wales gigs

2009-01-06T14:28:00.000-08:00

I am happy to announce that I will visit Wales and London for some gigs later this month. It will be various gigs as I will be collaborating on some and doing solo sets as well. I have been invited to join Welsh poet Zöe Skoulding to perform together with her and Alan Holmes on a poetry night. I will do a live soundtrack performance to the film ”How I Fought Bravely the Thirst for Knowledge and What Happened Then” by Russian filmmaker Elena Golovnina. I also hope to perform live with my good friends in Ectogram. Anyway, here are the dates and places:

20/1-09 Ronny Wærnes @ The Klinker Club, Maggies Bar, London, UK

21/1-09 Ronny Wærnes, Ectogram, Klaus Kinski @ Anglesea Arms, Menai Bridge, Wales

22/1-09 Zoë Skoulding/Alan Holmes/Ronny Wærnes @ The Absurd, Yr Wyddgrug (Mold), Wales

24/1-09 Ronny Wærnes, Ectogram & more @ Drones Club night at The Others, London, UK
Quote:

On 23-24 January 2009, the Drones Club returns to The Others for two evenings of avantgarde soundscapes, psychedelic space pop and motorik rhythms from S/T (Germany) and Phil Wilson/The June Brides (UK; on Friday 23 Jan) followed by Giant Paw (London), Ronny Wærnes (Norge), Traummaschine (España) and Ectogram (Cymru) on Saturday 24 January, with more to be confirmed.

Blaakraft @ Bodø Hardcorefestival #11

2008-11-17T15:04:00.000-08:00

Hurray, it is that time of the year again! The fantastic Bodø Hardcorefestival celebrates its 10th year with festival no #11, and my band Blaakraft will rock down the house at the end of the opening day, Wednesday the 19th of November. Anyone around the arctic circle this week should pay the festival a visit. It runs from Wednesday the 19th and ends on Saturday the 22nd. It is completely free, you can find great food, record distros, and the fantastic lineup include bands as diverse as Manhattan Skyline, Manna, Julius Androide, Juvelen, Randy, Fippelectormonic, Death Is Not Glamorous, Laura and many many more. Check out the festival website for more info.

Torstein Wjiik on Tour with Animal Machine, Audun Eriksen & Swamps Up Nostrils

2008-11-06T11:57:00.000-08:00

Our good friend Torstein Wjiik, who did a fantastic performance at this years Nødutgangfestival, is going on tour with Animal Machine (Poland), Audun Eriksen (Norway) and Swamps Up Nostrils (Norway) at the end of this month. If you're any of these places at the right time, make sure to look them up:

Nov 23 OSLO Sound of MU, Norway

Nov 25 REGENSBURG, Germany (Not included Animal Machine)

Nov 26 VIENNA, Austria

Nov 28 BARCELONA, Spain

Nov 29 BILBAO, Spain (MEM festival) (Not included Animal Machine)

Dec 1 BELGIUM (Not included Animal Machine)

Dec 2 TILBURG, Holland (Not included Animal Machine)

More info here

NXP - KELA - new release for free download

2008-10-30T16:55:00.000-07:00

A brand new release from NXP is available for free download. Said to be one of his noisier releases for a while, it sure is worth a listen.The album is called "Kela" and is out on Requiem Productions.

You can find the download here

The Grand Erector LP

2008-10-28T11:50:00.000-07:00

German label Pure Pop For Now People has just released an interesting project by The Grand Erector. Intended as a tribute to the group FAUST, source recordings for the project were contributed by invited members of the Faust mailing list and a few other cronies. The contributions were all then dismantled, RE-processed and RE-smeazed, before being RE-assembled to make the final album. Each track was created by combining material from several sources. Being only 100 copies on black vinyl, including an 8 page 10" booklet with photos by Ian Land, it will probably sell out fast!

Quote:

THE GRAND ERECTOR would like to thank Alan Holmes, Zoë Skoulding, Maeyc Hewitt and Ann Matthews (ECTOGRAM), Alex O’Shea, Steve Pittis (BAND OF PAIN), Ben Tinker (THAT HIDEOUS STRENGTH), J.S. Adams, Dane Johnson, Gustavo Jobim, Jean-Hervé Peron (FAUST), Jim Bowers, Ian Morrison, Jim Donnelly, Ken Hyder (KSPACE), Mike Rowlands, Olivier Manchion (ULAN BATOR / PFE), Phil Wilson (THE JUNE BRIDES), Richard Fontenoy (STELLA MARIS DRONE ORCHESTRA), Ronny Waernes, Joachim Gaertner and Martin Brauner (S/T), Steve Fligelstone, Luis Forner and Paco Gomez (TRAUMMASCHINE), and Zoltan Pfefer.

Listen to a soundclip here

Noisemusic - is more better?

2008-10-12T09:20:00.000-07:00

Someone said to me in a very noisy room: "I guess you like this, being so much noise here!" This made me reflect a bit. Some of my friends, colleagues or family have no clue what this is about. They know I like noise, they know I make noise, hell they even know I am performing occationally. They would never say noisemusic, btw... But is more better? My instant reply was: "I’m not sure, it’s not that good." And good is usually better than more. Not that I am not a fan of more. No, but better is usually…well...

Maybe I should start explaining what I mean. Someone told me that they prefered noisemusic that is possible to play at a low volume. How does that relate to noise? Is this not a contradiction? Yes, it can be. If you are interested in the sheer energy and the massive wall of sound some of these artists can produce, it would be relevant. But I think that it is possible to listen to noisemusic at a very low volume, if the noise itself is interesting enough. Some prefer the repeptetive side of it, and some people enjoy the more structured side of it. The depth of a track would mean a lot to me also. When exposed to noisemusic with a minimal range of frequencies, it is harder to listen to it for a longer periode of time. One example of this can be some of the early recordings of Whitehouse which have some needling high frequencies, and nothing more.

Melodic and compositional structures can sometimes be hard to find for an untrained ear, but that is also something that would improve the listening experience. Many noiseartists would regard Lou Reed – Metal Machine Music as a pioneering work for this approach. If this is combined with depth and a wider range of frequencies, it would be easier listening to and for some considered better. Fine examples of this can be found in Fe-Mail – Voluptous Vultures, later recordings from Wolf Eyes and Lasse Marhaug. Interesting is also albums/releases that have a very wide range of different approaches or sound. Noise compilations have usually these qualities, as they have lots of different bands and artists, who naturally sound very different.

Other than that, there is also the massive amount of artists incorporating instruments and/or voices that you would easily recognise. And the other way around.

Ultima Contemporary Festival

2008-10-01T11:47:00.000-07:00

Today is the opening day of Ultima, Oslo Contemporary Music Festival. If you are anywhere near Oslo the next 2 – 3 weeks, you should try and find time to check out some of the events. To many events to present here, but only a few recommendations:

Saturday 4th - 19:30 BODØ SINFONIETTA @ KULTURKIRKEN JAKOB w/soloists, will perform ao Arnt Håkon Ånesen (NO) Frames (2006/07), John Cage (US) Concerto for Piano and Orchestra (1957/58), Sven-David Sandström (SE) Konsert for fløyte og orkester (1980), Jonathan Harvey (UK) Wheel of Emptiness (1997).

Wednesday 8th - 10:00–12:00 THE LAPTOP AS INSTRUMENT @ AUDITORIET, NORGES MUSIKKHØGSKOLE - A presentation of eksperimental music technology by Dan Trueman.

19:30 ensemble recherche @ KULTURKIRKEN JAKOB - performs Cecilie Ore (NO) Cirrocumulus (2002/2004), Klaus Huber (CH) Plainte (1990), Younghi Pagh-Paan (KR) Hang-Sang III (2005), Karlheinz Stockhausen (DE) 7. Stunde aus KLANG: Balance (2007).

22:00–23:30 STOCKHAUSEN @ LINDEMANSALEN, NORGES MUSIKKHØGSKOLE - Kazuko Ihara, flute performes Karlheinz Stockhausen (DE) Freia (1991), In Freundschaft (1977), Ypsilon (1989) & Mikrophonie I (1964) for 6 players with tam-tam, 2 microphones, 2 filters with potentiometers. Other artists: Asbjørn Flø, Mats Claesson, Jøran Rudi, Kjell Samkopf, Rob Waring og Kjell Tore Innervik.

Friday 10th - asamisimasa w/Mark Knoop @ LINDEMANSALEN, NORGES MUSIKKHØGSKOLE - Performes Karlheinz Stockhausen (DE) Refrain (1959), Karlheinz Stockhausen (DE) Klavierstück XI (1956), Brian Ferneyhough (UK) Bone Alphabet (1991), Karlheinz Stockhausen (DE) Plus-Minus (1963).

Sunday 12th - 19:00 AL KAMANDJATI – The Violinist @ OSLO KONSERTHUS

Monday 13th - 18:00 & 19:00 DRÅPEN - SOUND INSTALLATION by ARNE NORDHEIM @ BEKKELAGET RENSEANLEGG

Thursday 16th - 19:30 NORDIC VOICES With PETER BRÖTZMANN & FRODE GJERSTAD @ KULTURKIRKEN JAKOB - Concert for clarinet and voices. Nordic Voices and soprano Ellen Aagaard meets legends of improvised music, Peter Brötzmann og Frode Gjerstad.

Saturday 18th – 1800 CIKADA @ KULTURKIRKEN JAKOB
Performs pieces by Nils Henrik Asheim (NO) Ensemble music for 5 (1985), Lars Petter Hagen (NO) Sørgemarsj over Edvard Grieg (2008), Henrik Hellstenius (NO) Hi Ophelia! (2006), Eivind Buene (NO) Nature Morte (2008), Arne Nordheim (NO) Partita per viola, clavicembalo e percussione (1963).

Much, much more at ULTIMA

Lasse Marhaug – Ear Era CD (Review)

2008-09-27T10:52:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year Lasse Marhaug got an interesting opportunity. The Henie Onstad Art Centre invited him to go through its massive audio archive. An archive of recordings from concerts and also recordings made in the Norwegian Studio for Electronic Music, located at the centre for some years in the 70s. Recordings (about 800 tapes) filled with artists as different as Karlheinz Stockhausen, Jan Garbarek, Arne Nordheim, Mauricio Kagel, Webster Lewis, Steve Reich, Laurie Anderson, Soft Machine, and various Norwegian jazz and rock artists. Marhaug was asked to make use of these recordings to make his own piece. The result was presented at three concerts at The Henie Onstad Art Centre, and also as this CD version released by Prisma Records. It is in only 500 numbered copies, and there will also be a deluxe box-set of 50 copies available.

Being only about 30 minutes divided into 11 unnamed tracks, it promised some excitement and variety. The first track starts with wind, voices and some naïve synth playing, making you wonder who initially recorded it. For most of the CD it is difficult to identify the original artist, unless you have a very specific knowledge of some of the pieces being used. Instruments and voices are easy to spot though. Marhaug process them slightly, inlcudes various bits and pieces, and makes the track sound a bit melancholic or sad. This first track sets the direction for the majority of Ear Era. It is almost to the end a CD filled with melancholy and sadness, only with a few exceptions, and it makes me wonder if it was made on a rainy day.

One of the techniques Marhaug uses is to cut out bits of music, and loop it, but also twist the pitch, speed it up, slow it down to make it change its mood or pace. A good example of this is in track three where a couple of loops are mixed together during the first half of the track and the loops themselves are slowed down from beginning to end, and thus making them sound sad. Other cut out bits are added to the track and many of them treated the same way.

To draw attention to the point an opposite effect is added in track four, which starts off with a rather noisy, less sad loop, making a happy rhythm. But after a minute the rhythm dissapears and what’s left is some strange sounds being quite mellow also, and the track ends just after two minutes.

So the album continues, a mix of strange, weird sounds and noises, mixed carefully with some more noisier, harsher bits. Melancholy being the most prominent mood to me, but also occasional happiness and energy. What is really striking about this release, is the gentle way Marhaug mixes it all together. No part, strange or noisy is overfocused, and everything comes together as a nice whole. When seeing Marhaug live, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer energy of his noise and performance, and it can be easy to presume that he would translate that to all his recordings, but here he proves just the opposite. Nice, gentle, short tracks, but still challenging to listen to, and after 3 – 4 listens, I still find myself being surprised.

The CD ends in a way that makes me think it needed a happy or more promising finale. Track 10 is a short track of just over two minutes, and has almost the same sadness as the rest of the album. It starts with some rumbles and a rythmic sad loop, but when left with 30 seconds a female voice enters the track, and at the very end it is clearly that she is saying: “it will be best for you if anything is good for you”. And so the track ends, leaving the door open for track 11, which starts with a simple, almost generic loop. After a while some more driven parts come to life, and the track gets more and more noisy, but in a much more happy mood than the previous tracks.

This CD made me sad and made me smile. It even made me want to dance occasionally, but also made me wanting more. Ear Era is a piece of music with lots of diversity and it triggers various moods. What more can you ask? Some more, maybe?

Available from the artist.

Faust announces new release!

2008-09-24T14:20:00.000-07:00

Legendary krautrockers Faust announces that they are about to master their brand new studio album. The album was recorded in the Fortress Studios London in August this year, and will be released some time late November by Fred Label Limited. It will be first released as a CD and shortly after there will be a vinyl release available. Featuring on the album are Zappi, Jean-Hervé Peron, James Johnston, Geraldine Swayne and James Hodson with special guest Terry Edwards. While waiting for the new album, there is a chance to see Faust at these venues and dates:

October 3rd @ the INTERZONA in Verona, Italy

October 4th @ the INIT in Rome, Italy

October 10th @ the Raindance Film Festival in London, UK - Zappi and JHP will attend a session of Q&A after the screening of "IST FAUST SCHOEN", a critical documentary film by Julien Perrin

October 11th @ The Secret Market for One of One London, UK

October 16th @ the GARAJ in Istanbul, Turkey

Spectrum XXI Festival 2008

2008-09-21T15:03:00.000-07:00

The third international festival of spectral music will take place this year in London, Paris, Brussels, Mons and East Grinstead from 16th through to the 26th of November. This is a festival curated by Iancu Dimutresu and Ana-Maria Avram from Romania and performers will be The Hyperion Ensemble with soloist Tim Hodgkinson, Gustavo Aguilar, Robert Reigle and the iO quartet of New York. They will present works by Dumitrescu, Avram, Hodgkinson, Petrescu, Cazaban, Vlad, Geers and others including myself. Dumitrescu and Avram with the Hyperion ensemble is probably the most vital conductors and performers (and composers!) I have seen and heard in the classical avantgarde, so if you are anywhere near one of these location at the time they are, you would not want to miss an opportunity to see a great event.

Other links: 1#, 2#, 3#, 4#, 5#

Puma & Lasse Marhaug - on vinyl!

2008-09-18T04:03:00.000-07:00

One of my favourite combos, the hard-hitting improv trio Puma, and the Norwegian king of noise, Lasse Marhaug have announced that they will release an album of some of the recordings they have done. Puma has made a snip available at their myspace. They will also perform together live in 2009, which they have had trouble finding time to in 2008. They will visit Japan in January and February of 2009, and also Denmark, Germany, France, Benelux and England will be visited. Dates to be announced later. The even better news is that they will make the release available on vinyl only!

I was fortunate enough to see this combo live at Nødutgangfestivalen last year, and that performance made a huge impression on me. This video is from Ekkofest in Bergen (N):

Nødutgangfestival 2009 news!

2008-09-15T14:32:00.000-07:00

The avantgarde festival Nødutgangfestival dates for 2009 are set! This time it will be a festival in the dark autumn! This festival held just above the arctic circle in the north of Norway, has a wonderful mix of avantgarde and experimental artists and bands. Previous headlines as Faust, KK Null, Lasse Marhaug, La STPO, S/T, Jazzkammer, and lots of Norwegian and local exciting artists has made this festival an interesting event of the year.

As opposed to the previous years, where the festival has been held in June and July, the next year will see Nødutgangfestival in the late autumn. The dates has been set to 22nd to 25th of October. The main venues will continue to be Sinus, Gimle and Bremnes Fort, but with additional venues as Bodø Kunstforening and who knows, maybe some new exciting ones as well. The goal for the future is still to surprise, create joy and also provoce, and 2009 will also meet those goals. The festival will continue to develope its profile, and Nødutgangfestival will show new sides of itself next year and in the years to come.

http://www.emergency.no/

Belles Alliances - free download

2008-09-13T14:20:00.001-07:00

My collaboration with Brazilian artist Gustavo Jobim has recently been released on a compilation of collaborators, Belles Alliances. Last year I was given two soundclips by Gustavo, on which he played syntheziser. So I did some cut ups, processed and mixed it all in to one track, Abstract Painted Train. The release consists of great tracks all made by remixing or collaborating with Gustavo in some way. In addition to yours truly, the artists are: The Chorlton Radiophonic Workshop (UK),That Hideous Strength (USA), Nathan Siter (USA/Finland), Conrad Schnitzler (Germany), Helder Correia (Portugal), Amyr Cantusio Jr. (Brazil), Robert Jaz (USA), Member (Germany), Daniel Bordini (Brazil), Leandro Theodorico (Brazil), Justynn Tyme (USA). Check out Gustavos main page or go directly to the release for a free download of this wonderful album, booklet and all. Photos by Ian land, and artwork by Helder Correia.

Back with a track!

2008-09-04T14:36:00.000-07:00

Finally I am back at my blog after a long brake. It has been a long eventful summer, that I will not bore you with here, but I promise that I will post more frequent after this.

Meanwhile a track has been put out (again) at the Chain Tape Collective. This time it was a project inspired by the signs of the zodiac, so the project Zodiac, consists of twelve tracks. I am not a fan of those signs, but I have learned that there is actually a thirteenth sign called the Ophiucus - the serpent holder, but the only one not included as an astrological sign. So I decided that I could be a part of this project with this bonustrack called Ophiucus. The track itself consists of snake sounds, and some spoken parts of a well known actor. Guess who?

Download the track here

Check out the entire project here

New track for download

2008-07-23T04:52:00.000-07:00

A new compilation is ready from the Chain Tape Collective, and I have done one of the tracks. CT-Bugs is a collection of compositions based on a set of sample recordings of a various insects from around the world. No other sound sources were used other than the insects. The artists, all members of (CT) Collective, manipulated these sample recordings with various effects and audio software, in order to produce their final work of musical art.

Download my track here

or check out the entire album with lots of magnificent tracks from the other artists!

Nødutgang Festival Compilation

2008-06-04T12:47:00.000-07:00

My friend at the Paranoia Is Freedom blog just posted this years album as a free download. A release to promote this years festiuval, it includes only artists participating. Not all, but some. The release is as all years a Go To Gate Records release, but this time it is a download release only:

This is a free download album to promote this years NØDUTGANG festival. It will hit everyone brave enough to be there between June 12 and June 15. The concerts and performances will be held at several venues in Bodø (Norway). For more information about the program, dates, prices etc look at this link.The album is the third in a row that pick up several off the artists on the festival and let them present their music. The first two years (2006 and 2007) came out as CDs, but we thought that it might be better to let it be a free download album. So here it is. Free for everyone to download and distribute at their www or blog or whatever. NO ONE has any permission to take any kind off fee for downloading these tracks. OK enough words lets get into the real thing. Here is the tracklisting;

Art Errorist – Esistmirkalt

Bagio – Migraine

Bjerga/Iversen - Theres A Ghost In The Dream Machine (extract for Nødutgang)

Blaakraft - Opus 23

Hr. Vandal - Through the air

La STPO - Colonies (Edit)

NXP - Soundtrack of our lives (emergency exit mix)

PLX 15 - Power Within

Scared Dog - A Space Tail Pt 1

Skoulding, Zoë – Astrolaire

Tognazzi featuring Haddy – Song For A Dark Girl

Torstein Wjiik – 010

Wærnes, Ronny - Trans-micro Impro Express

The album is in two parts as RAR.

You can download part A here and part B here.

The albums for 2006 and 2007 can be downloaded for free here.

LabField church concerts

2008-05-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

Here is a chance to start the Nødutgangfestival early. The organisations Ny Musikk, Bodø Sinfonietta & Nødutgangfestivalen will co-operate in setting up a concert in the cathedral Bodø Domkirke 3rd of june 2008 at 2000 hrs. Check out the video below:

New tracks - released on compilations

2008-05-20T14:16:00.000-07:00

I have two more tracks out on the web. This time two rather different ones.

The first track was released as a part of yet another CT-Collective project, Acoustic II. Recorded during November, December 2007 & January 2008, postproduction, postcomposing and mixing during February 2008. Only acoustic sounds found in or outside my house are used. Only a minimum of processing has been done. Postproduction was mostly mixing layers of acoustic sounds together. The track is called Homeacoustics (of course), and clocks in at 5 minuts precisely.

Get it here

The second track is released as a part of the HAZE netlabels release Tribute to Tribute. The track, called 19de, is a tribute to the 19th of January when I did the recordings. It is a 12 minute noise track with screeching feedback, thunderous rumbling and more multilayered than the first in this post. A classic!

Get it here

Nødutgangfestival announces all artists

2008-04-30T16:17:00.000-07:00

from http://www.emergency.com/:
PROGRAM IS FINAL:

Thursday June 12th @ Gimle
Doors opens at 19:00. Concert starts at 20:00.
Ticketprices; 30,-/50,- NOK. (with X Rockeklubb)

NXP (with Juryen)
Scared Dog Hr. Vandal
Torstein Wjiik
Bagio (Ger)

Friday June 13th @ Bodø kunstforening
Concert starts at 18:00. Free.

Lasse Jensen
Exacerbate
Zoë Skoulding (w/Alan Holmes) (UK)

Friday June 13th @ Sinus
Doors opens at 20:00. Concert starts at 21:00.
Ticket price; 100,- NOK.

DJ-Rbruun
Metrognom
Divide Pepe (film)
KK Null (JPN)
PLX-15
Famlende Forsøk
art-errorist Jean-Hervé Peron (Ger/FR)

Saturday June 14 @ Sinus
Doors opens at 20:00. Concert starts at 21:00.
Ticket price; 100,- NOK.

DJ-Rbruun
USB (performance)
Blaakraft Bjerga/Iversen
Tognazzi featuring Haddy
Divide Pepe (film)
Varde Jazzkammer
La STPO (FR)

Sunday June 15th @ Bremnes fort
Concert starts at 15:00. Free.
Be aware that the temprature inside the mountain is about 4 degrees!

Laup String Quartet
Linn Halvorsrød
Ralph und Ralph with Ronny Wærnes

More artists for Nødutgangfestival

2008-04-18T15:45:00.000-07:00

KK Null (Japan):

KK NULL (real name : KAZUYUKI KISHINO) was born in Tokyo, Japan. Composer, guitarist, singer, mastermind of ZENI GEVA and electronic wizard. One of the top names in Japanese noise music and in a larger context, one of the great cult artists in experimental music since the early 80's.

Read more...

Famlende Forsøk:

They started up in the early 80s, but with major inspiration from the 70s industrial music represented by Throbbing Gristle, S.P.K. & Cabaret Voltaire. In early releases they used metal percussions and industrial sounds, but later they abandoned the metal percussion, but continued down an even more experimental path, and during the 90s developed a more improvised approach.

Winter photos

2008-03-26T15:44:00.000-07:00

We've had some snow this winter...

Sandbox

My garden bench
You can see more pictures here.

Jean-Hervé Peron/Andrew Liles album out

2008-03-17T06:26:00.000-07:00

The new album of Faust frontman Jean-Hervé Peron and Andrew Liles from NWW and Current 93 is out on art-errorist label. The track "The Drummer is on Valium" is on download from the art-errorist site, and the album is available for sale direct from the site also. A very enjoyable track that promises more pleasures in forthcoming listens and live performances!

Nødutgangfestival 2008

2008-03-11T01:08:00.000-07:00

The three first bands are ready for Nødutgangfestival 2008, in my hometown of Bodø, Norway. French avant-rockers La STPO, Norwegain soundartist Linn Halvorsrød and local heroes PLX-15.

La STPO (France):

La Société Timides à la Parade des Oiseaux was born in may 1984 on the ashes of the band Sarajevo, which played an impossible compromise between Pere Ubu, Wire and such bands.
La STPO fights against anyone defining them. Dadaism, avant-prog, punk, RIO, jazz, zeuhl og no-wave will be some of the experts opinion about this society, but they will twist and turn it to fit into the surreal La STPO world. Evidently inspired by avant-prog bands like Henry Cow or krautrockers Faust. Vocalist Godjikian describes the muisc as "musique explositionniste". He explains smilingly this french expression: music that induces explosions in the head of its listeners.

Read more...

Linn Halvorsrød:

The Radio vibrates someplace between 100 channels, Anton LaVey and Johnny Cash are having a game of Poker in the next room, intence, chanting, with a glimps of sunshine through the torn up curtains, subpop, collage, music concrete.
Read more...

PLX-15:

PLX-15 is one of the more important cult bands in Norway. participated on the very much talked about compilation ”Can a Butterfly Smash a Weel?” reviewed in the March edition of The Wire. They played some kind of punk-synthpop, by some named as pre-techno. They will have a reunion at Nødutgang 2008.

Read more...

Chain Tape Collective

2008-03-02T11:29:00.000-08:00

The CT Collective was originally started by Michael Klobuchar as a chain tape group; that is, as a group whose members recorded music by mailing a master tape throughout the United States and Europe. The finished tape was then cleaned up and distributed to the members as a CD. No one got paid for any of this, and the organization, mastering, and mailing of our collaborative projects was done by members who volunteered their time and resources.

Nowadays, the CT collective have multiple projects going on, and it is a modern internet based collective. The projects are streamable from the website, and all the tracks are downloadable. I have recently participated in some projects, and here are two of them just now published:

Birds. This project was about only processing bird sounds. Click the picture to go to the project and access all the tracks. My track is also here:

Four Birds

Birds and Men. This project was also about processing birds, but combining human generated sounds as well. Actually, both projects was done at the same time. Click the picture to get access to all the tracks. Mine is also here:

Nightinggale BirdMan

To join the CT Collective, suggest projects, and contribute music and/or labor to the cause, go to the links page and click the mailing list link.

Avantgardefestival Schiporst

2008-02-25T14:16:00.000-08:00

It is about time to start planning the summer, and what better place to start if not in Schiporst.

In the north-German countryside, on a farm, something important happens. Being audience or artist. During a weekend, performance and concerts of high quality and professional standards happens, in a mixture you will never find anywhere else. Add the homely atmosphere created by Jean-Hervé Peron and Carina Varain at their homefarm, and the fact that artists and audience eat and drink together, and you have a setting almost unbeatable. I have lovely memories, fantastic experiences and made very good friends at Schiporst (not to mention all the records I bought!).

As of now the following line-up appears on the festivals website:

Nurse With Wound (UK/USA) (c)

Ana-Maria Avram & Iancu Dumitrescu, Chris Cutler &Tim Hodgkinson (RO/UK) (c)

Faust ( A/F/UK) (c)

KKNull (JAP) (tbc)

Stahl Quartett (GER) (c)

Sunseastar (UK) (c)

Xabec (Ger) (c)

Black Carrots (UK) (c)

Silent Movies (I) (c)

ElectrixGarden (GER) (c)

Traummaschine ( SP) (tbc)

Biomass (I) (tbc)

13th Monkey (GER) (c)

Sternschuss Trio ( ISR/GER) (c)

Daniel Sarid & Assif Tsahar (ISR) (tbc)

Pierre Chevalier (B) (c)

Brian Mitchell (USA) (c)

Asylum Lunaticum (GER) (tbc)

New release

2008-02-16T01:45:00.000-08:00

I am proud to announce that Ambolthue Records just released my new solo cdr Johnny Guitar. About 30 minutes and 4 brand new tracks. Crushing sounds and lots of energy is some key words for this release.

It's available through the labels mailorder at a very reasonable price, and you might find other goodies there as well.

New sounds - Stokastiske Lodd

2008-02-13T11:20:00.000-08:00

In October 2007 I teamed up with Hallstein Sandvin in Hønsehuset studio. We had some great fun improvising, and made some wonderful noise. Hallstein mixed together the sounds we made, and composed two tracks. You can listen to it at our new Myspace, or download the tracks here:

Spor 1

Spor 2

Let us know what you think. We might do another session in the studio, and watch out for the results here.

Salvatore wins Norwegian award

2008-02-06T02:13:00.000-08:00

Strangely enough, Salvatore was nominated and won the Norwegian Spellemannspris 2007 in the category of Electronica. Salvatore claims to be playing instrumental rock music, and use simplicity and repetition with an optimistic, emotional feel. It's an underground band, but with a sense of spaciousness and they have been quite inspired by German krautbands as NEU!.
Salvatore has mixed and explored different styles, and members have gone back and forth into the line-up. Previously, some of the members of the band used to be in electronica groups, and they sometimes mix electronic sounds with live guitar, bass and drums. This perspective might be the reason why they won this category, and of course the album itself. From the label:

2007’s first album, Days Of Rage, is Salvatore’s 6th, and was released on New Year’s Day. Now the ever-evolving band features two new English members: Anthony Barratt from Billy Mahonie (Too Pure) and Leon Muraglia, the man behind the legendary Kosmische Club in London. Still having one foot in the Kraut department, they have added more electronic elements. It might their most accessible album this far.
Not quite rock/pop, and not quite art/experimental, Salvatore inhabit an important mid-point in contemporary music. The music is intelligent, but does not compromise on heart, and that great feeling of euphoria.

Sonic Arts Network

2008-02-02T14:49:00.000-08:00

A couple of days ago I recieved "Blood, Muscle & Air" - the new CD from the Sonic Arts Network. It concists of great vocal work by artists from around the world. Amongst the 14 vocalists we find our own Maja Ratkje and other great names such as Jaap Blonk, Chris Mann and David Moss, who curated the release and will be performing in Stavanger in September. All of the artists have theire own unique style, but they are rooted and connected to the listener by the blood, muscle and air we all possess. Great inventiveness also brands the vocalists and they have all a powerful and personal performance, it impressed me very much.

By joining the network for only £25 (£20 for UK residents), you get three CDs a year, and lots of info as well about what is going on in the UK:

Sonic Arts Network is an organisation in the United Kingdom that enables both audiences and practitioners to engage with the art of sound in diverse, accessible and innovative ways. Sonic Arts Network fosters a culture of creative risk taking and experimental approaches to sound through a cutting edge programme of festivals, events, commissions and education projects. The organisation believes in the unique capacity of listening to enrich people’s lives by unlocking creativity, promoting social and environmental awareness and engaging a diverse range of communities.Sonic Arts Network’s activities separate into three main areas:

Activities – Events, regular festivals such as Cut and Splice and Expo, tours and commissions.

Education - Award winning national education project Sonic Postcards, artist workshops and talks.

Network - Sonic Arts Network is a membership organisation that is the hub of information, opportunities and publications for the UK sonic arts scene.

Incapacitants, Hijokaidan & Birchville Cat Motel

2008-01-28T11:44:00.000-08:00

are simultaneously released by Lasse Marhaugs new label Pica Disk. Japan noise veterans Incapacitants CD "Burning Orange" is a live recording from All Ears festival in Oslo, Norway in January 2007. This is actually a split with Incapacitants - Fumio Kosakai and T.Mikawa on track one (Orange Smoke), followed by (Out Of Schnaps ) by "Fumio Tommiakawa" who are- Kosakai and T.Mikawa with Tommi Keränen). Track one is simply fantastic pure noise, complex or simple as it can be, and you can hear the two just trying to kick ass. In a sense they do, as this is a live recording that contains a lot of energy in all its beauty. The second track starts out more varied, and it seems that the (three on this) artists try to communicate with each other. I love it after just one listen and I am already looking forward to some more rounds.

Hijokaidan is a duo of Jojo Hiroshige (guitar) and Junko (voice). The high pitch voice of Junko is a perfect match to the guitar shredding noises of Jojo Hiroshige. The "Polar Nights Live" CD was recorded at All Ears festival in 2006. From the Pica Disk website:

"Jojo and Junko performed as a Hijokaidan two-piece on the opening night of the festival, a rarely heard line-up. Their performance got such a tremendous response that they came back for an encore (Otomo Yoshihide, longtime Hijokaidan fan who also performed at the festival, proclaimed "Incredible! Hijokaidan never does encores!"). The second night Jojo collaborated with guitarist Per Gisle Galåen (DEL, The Birds), unleashing thick layers of psychedelic and distorted guitar fog, which fans of of Fushitsusha, Les Rallizes Denudes and Jojo's non-Hijokaidan work will appreciate. The final night saw Junko hooking up with noise-nik Sten Ove Toft (Ryfylke) for a hellish meltdown of twisted electronics and the most intense voice in music.
Unlike most other noise acts Hijokaidan has not spoiled their fans with a huge number of releases, which makes Polar Nights Live an even more unique statement of pure noise sound."

Bircville Cat Motel "Gunpowder Temple Of Heaven" CD contains a 40 minutes long noise-drone track. This is the project of New Zealander Campbell Kneale, and the track is building and building and is not even drowning itself! the CD also comes with a booklet with Birchville Cat Motel discography.

All the CDs come in nicely done paper wallets, and you can read more and check soundsamples at the labels website.

In addition you should check out some of the Pica Disk releases from 2007!

Why does some music make people angry?

2008-01-22T14:21:00.000-08:00

In my favourite mailing-list, The Faust List, we had a small debate about this topic. It was raised due to experience that especially avantgarde music often makes some people furious. Some of the artist mentioned here was Sun Ra and Captain Beefheart.

This is a question with some complexity attached to it... But here is how I tried to respond to it (and some more which I added just now):

While working with people for many years, I have learned that sometimes it is impossible to predict what provoces a certain individual. This can be both clients and/or professionals I worked with or co-operated with. While working with behaviour problems, I also learned that it is very difficult to predict what triggers anger or rage, unless I was given the opportunity to investigate further. What I found as a common ground, was that most of them had an internal unsafety, sometimes based on disorganized attachement or attachement disorders.

from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attachment_theory
"Attachment disorder refers to an inability to form normal attachments with caregivers during childhood. This may have adverse effects throughout the lifespan. Results of a study showed a positive and strong correlation between the security of the child-mother attachment representation and positiveness of self. It also showed significant and positive correlations between positiveness of self to competence and social acceptance, to behavioral adjustment at school, and to behavioral manifestations of self-esteem"

I am not saying that anger by adults towards avantgarde music co-relates to this (so far). BUT disorganized attachement makes people want to have more control! What I also found was that if someone had low self-esteem, or insecurity in the self and you combine this with a strong need of control, it would often create some form of behavioural problem, depending on how the people around this certain individual would relate to him/her. When these individuals are left in charge, and can do as they please, without being asked questions or in other ways provoced, no problems whatsoever will appear. Other than maybe someone don't like what they do at times.

Say that someone has been exposed to a boss or someone in charge who doesn't want to debate a decision and/or controlling every aspect of someones job. My theory is that this boss has some of these problems I describe. Certainly if they get angry if you try to debate something or ask uncomfortable questions. This need of control can easily adapt to how we relate to most of our world, also art.

It is also easy to understand that how we look upon our selves (self-esteem) affects our feelings, and our feelings in the next step affects our behaviour. And for most people art, and also music is affecting (or as someone pointed out, inspires) feelings as well. This is probably also the order of it; so how we look upon our selves would have a strong affect upon how we respond to art, which again will affect our physical reactions to art, and certainly music.

Music, unlike most art, is difficult to escape, especially when we are exposed to it in closed confinements. Or rooms, work, tv or radio at home...not everybody can slam the door to close it out. A painting or a sculpture that provoces you is easier to shut out. When exposed to something you don't understand and have no control of how you are exposed to it, it surely does something to you - emotionally. Response is often with silence, withdrawal, sadness, or in this case anger.

Record an album in 29 days!

2008-01-17T10:10:00.000-08:00

It's almost that time of year again: Enter the RPM challenge! Write, record and put together an album of original material during the month of February. Just go to the site and sign up for the deed. Last year I went ahead and ended up with my release The Soprano Challenge, so I am gonna sharpen my tools and get ready this year as well. This is not a traditional contest, all you have to do is finish the challenge, and you are a winner. Last year more than 850 albums where submitted and more than 8000 songs can be found in the jukebox.

From the website:
"This is the challenge: record an album in 29 days, just because you can.
That’s 10 songs or 35 minutes of original material recorded during the month of February. Go ahead… put it to tape.

Recording can only be done in the month of February – no prerecorded songs.
All material must be previously unreleased, and we encourage you to write the material during February too.
Participating bands get their own page on the site, which you can blog to as much as you want. You also get access to the band-only discussion board, where you can swap ideas, resources, etc., and the ability to e-mail and private message with the other participants.
All the completed albums may be put up in the jukebox on the website, if you so choose, so people can check it out; conversely, if you’d rather not share your work with the public, then no one needs to hear it but us.

Write some instrumentals, split up the songwriting duties amongst band members, form an RPM side project, write songs on the piano or clarinet instead of your primary instrument, make that metal album you’ve always wanted to - buy a ukulele! Just do your best to make the best album you can. Be unafraid. What if every musician you knew put their music first for 29 days? What if you recorded the best song of your life? What if the world was never the same? What’s stopping us? Nothing. February is Record Production Month. You have no reason to say no, and nothing to lose."

So, do you accept the challenge?

HumdinGer releaseparty 26th of January

2008-01-14T14:51:00.000-08:00

HumdinGer is one of my favourite local punks. Consisting of Steven Balmbra - vocals (aka Balmbrain), Tommen Hveding - Guitar, Lars Nicolaysen - Drums (with me in Psykisk Tortur & Blaakraft, and veteran noisehead in town) & Johnny Larssen - Bass (from Krim U and recently also in Blaakraft). Inspired by a wide range of music as punk, jazz, prog and experimental, they deliver a varied setlist. Although they are in many senses a punkband, they are to me a lot more.

Our own label Go To Gate Records, have just released "What you hear is what you get", a wonderful 10" picture disc by HumdinGer (included is a cdr of the music if you have problems with the format). Recorded live in the studio, it has the rawness of a punkrelease, but the tracks prove a band well shaken together. At the releaseparty they will do all the tracks AND more, and the record is of course up for sale!

This night they are supported by the DJ-ing of Ole Ivar from Metrognom & Mouches Volantes, the latter did a very nice job at last years Nødutgang festival in collaboration with Alan Holmes of Ectogram amongst others. Ole Ivar has promised to play a variety of his own flavours, which normally(!) ranges from ancient prog to modern music. So all in all an event I am really looking forward to!

NOR NOISE

2008-01-11T15:07:00.001-08:00

“NOR NOISE – 12 PORTRAITS ABOUT NOISE MUSIC”
A Film By Tom Hovinbøle
[OHM] Records & Pastiche Films 2004

This double pack DVD & CD was one big inspiration for me when I first saw it. A dvd documentary about noise music is not something you can find in your common record shop or at your local dvd pusher. For me it represented a glimpse into a world quite unknown to me. Once I saw it I knew that noise was something accounted for and somehow my experiments did enter a path leading to live perfromances. I have always listened to strange music and normal music, but once this film was put in my dvd player I realised that I had missed out on something for years and years. Not strange, though, as the noise scene had somehow stayed underground for many years and only in resent years has arised and made its way to more common knowledge.

from the [Ohm] Records website:

"NOR NOISE is a documentary about Noise music – perhaps the most exiting and innovative form of music to evolve in the last years. The film maker Tom Hovinbøle has since the project started in 2001, interviewed some of the most central artists, both internationally and in Norway. The artists speaks about their relationship to tis music: What is it? Where does it come from? How do you work with pure sounds? Which possibilities opens up with the new sound processing opportunities? Noise is also put into an historical context spanning from the Futurists and Luigi Russolo before the First World War, through the first experiments with electronical music in the fifties, the avant-garde in the sixties, the Industry and Punk movements in the seventies, before Noise establishes it self as a music in its own right in Japan during the seventies. The film also contains a lot of rare concert footage with the artists. "

Some of the artists participating: Tore H. Bøe (Origami Republika), David Cotner (USA), Masami Akita (Merzbow), Lasse Marhaug, Maja S.K. Ratkje (Spunk and Fe-mail), Francisco Lopéz (Spain), Helge Sten (Deathprod) and Otomo Yoshihide (Japan) , and on the CD you can hear exciting Norwegian acts such as Jazzkammer, Crazy River, Norwegian Noise Orchestra, Fe-Mail, and more.

It is still available from the website, and being released in 2004, it is still highly valid today. In my opinion it provides an interesting introduction to Norwegian (and some international) noise history and it is a wonderfully done documentary with english subtitles.

Live @ Sound of Mu, Oslo, Norway, 27th of Oct 2007

2008-01-02T15:29:00.000-08:00

Photo by Espen Wærnes

Situated almost at the bottom of Markveien, close to the river, Sound of Mu has a large window to the street where passers by can check out the contemporary events taking place, or art on the walls. Inside it is light and high under the ceiling, and the furniture is minimalistic retro - a chair and a table to put your pint on. Owned by artists the venue/coffeeshop has lots of various things going on; concerts, exibitions, DJ's, bookreleases and festivals. Not a crowded place, but defenetily a place where you can be surprised or have your prejudices racked.

Per Gisle of Apartment Records did the booking of this gig, being a part of the Fritt Fall concert series. I was in Oslo to see another gig by a major Canadian act, and I was up and running in high moods from the big event from the night before.

On this particular Saturday afternoon, I shared the place with SunState, normally only Swede Jon Eriksen and Norwegian Lars Myrvoll, but this time they did an extended version and where joined by three musicians. Free jazz noise would be one way to describe it. I might load up some vids of them another time, so you can make up your own mind. Here is some vids from my own performance:

Video by Espen Wærnes

Video by Terje Sjøli