Manafonistas

That was a special moment, yesterday, when returning from the sea with a long grey coat soaked full of rain and water dripping from it till dusk in the bathroom. Coming to rest. Rune had send me a nice mail and the stream of two forthcoming albums. And, meanwhile I listened to both of them, one before midnight, and one down by the sea, some hours ago. A lovely sky, sun shining, strangers smiling, and when no one was around, except three coloured birds I had never seen before, my beach chair turned into a discotheque playing Mats Gustafsson‘s new Fire! album with verve! And what a fine labour of work is that: he‘s blowing the flute here, too, and in moments, you think you‘re inside the world of Herbie Mann‘s „Stone Flute“. Just an apparition. Rhythms as flexible as tight and fully loose, and a transparency of sound that is definitely not what springs to mind first when thinking of the „style“ we think we know from the Swedish post-free-jazz matador. The man who loves going for the wild seems to be in a very relaxed mood without sacrificing, pun intended, the fire in „Fire!“ The spirit of Albert Ayler is never too far away! – The other high quality work comes from Elephant9. And surprise: Stale Storlokken‘s band also moves into a laid-back version of their otherwise well-known ability to create a decent tour-de-force. Again, Stale‘s keyboard collection evokes strong vibes of old time fusion music, but with a freshness and delicacy far away from smartass-like walking down memory lane. From a distance, something like an „ocarina-sound“ may receive a warm welcome from Pat Metheny‘s late 70’s state of mind. Another excellent new skin for an old ceremony.

Mats Gustafsson – Flute, baritone sax, live electronics
Johan Berthling – Electric bass
Andreas Werliin – Drums
with Goran Kajfes – Quartertone trumpet
Mats Aleklint – Trombone, sousaphone, horn arrangements

Ståle Storløkken – Rhodes piano, Hammond organ, grand piano, Eminent 310, Mellotron, Continuum
Nikolai Hængsle – Electric bass, electric and acoustic guitars
Torstein Lofthus – Drums, percussion

For example, a series of sessions on a train going from Oslo to Istanbul. No multi-tracking, everything is mixed as it is played. Editing only to clean up false starts and possibly to reinvent the purpose of dreaming. The passengers are occasionally joining in the performance as dancers or train conductors. As we are travelling towards Istanbul there are several artists painting the train green inside as well as sculptors changing the landscape we pass through. The sun transforms itself into a fish and the horizon is turned vertical. Instead of windows to look out of there is silence to look inside. The audience is applauded for listening deeply and for focusing the sounds that would otherwise be lost. Finally as the train comes to Istanbul it bursts into flames and everyone leaves by the secret exit. Except you. How would it sound? Imagine.

 
Wenn Rune Kristoffersen Ende der Neunziger nicht einfach angefangen und losgelegt hätte …

Wenn Rune Kristoffersen nicht weitergemacht hätte …

Wenn Rune Kristoffersen nicht auf Kim Hiorthøy gestossen wäre …

Wenn Rune Kristoffersen und Kim Hiorthøy sich nicht zusammengetan hätten …

Wenn Kim Hiorthøy nicht all die verrückten Grafiken zu Album-Covers gemacht hätte, ….
 
 
Was hätten wir heute nicht? Gar nicht oder anders? Mein erstes Rune-Album war, glaube ich, Nils Økland. Das war einfach was ganz anderes, eigenes. Ein neues Gefühl, mysteriös und sehr greifbar zugleich war Rune. Wie frische Spuren im Schnee. Opsvik&Jennings, dann natürlich Arve Henriksen und Supersilent. Dieser Umgang mit Farben auf den Covern. Die Mikro-Typographie und die namenlosen CD-Scheiben, nur farblich auseinanderzuhalten. Wie Holzhäuser ohne Nummer und Namensschild.
 
 
Ett hundre og femti album. Hundertundfünfzig Alben (weiter sind wir). Es gibt noch was zu tun.
 
 
Diese gut gestaltete Vinyl-Schachtel auf den Schlitten! SAILING TO BYZANTIUM. Eine Schachtel mit 4 verschieden- farbigen 10 Inch Vinylscheiben in tollen bedruckten Papphüllen, einem Faltblatt mit ausgesprochen lesenswertem ausgiebigen Gespräch zwischen Rob Young, Rune Kristoffersen und Kim Hiorthøy und einem wunderbaren Poster. Einmalige Auflage von 500 Stück!
 
 
 

 
 
 
Auf den Hüllen und der Schachtel Bildelemente von Hiorthøy: es sind Objekte und keine Objekte, es sind Photographien von Objekten und keine Photographien, sie ähneln Exotika-Bildkunst, sind aber ganz und gar keine Exotica. Es sind menschliche Gestalten, und auch wieder keine. Es sind Szenen und keine. Anklänge an Art Brute, aber aus Papier oder Wolle. Where is the way out? Do we need a way out? Die Schachtel, sie ist auch ein Spielzeugkasten wie früher.
 
Tracks
 Hedvig Mollestad Trio – Sing, Goddess
 – Bushman´s Revenge – As We Used To Sing (Live) – 
Scorch Trio – Kjøle Høle
 – Motorpsycho – Year Zero (A Damage Report)
- FIRE! – Your Silhouette On Each (Without Noticing) – 
Elephant9 – Hardcore Orientale
 – Phaedra – Honeydewed Autumn – 
Jenny Hval – Blood Flight
 – The Last Hurrah!! – The Lonely Whistle Call – 
Hilde Marie Kjersem – That Day In The Shower
 – Tove Nilsen – Jordan
 – Sidsel Endresen & Stian Westerhus – Drawing An Arc
 – Maja Ratkje – Intro – 
Alog – Baklandet
 – Espen Eriksen Trio – In The Woods – 
Nils Økland – Blond Blå
 – Arve Henriksen – Silver Box