Is it Jazz? Records have welcomed Norwegian drummer ERLAND DAHLEN to their ever-growing roster.
Having worked as a full-time, and very prolific, drummer since 1996 within the fields of Jazz, Experimental and Electronica , Dahlen has an enviable pedigree that has seen him play on more than 285 albums, and appear live in more than 35 countries. Some of the artists with whom he has played, either live or in the studio, include Norwegian Jazz legends such as NILS PETTER MOLVÆR, EIVIND AARSET, STIAN WESTERHUS and GEIR SUNDSTØL, together with bands and artists such as MADRUGADA, KAADA, JOHN PAUL JONES, ANE BRUN, ANNELI DRECKER, MARIT LARSEN and XPLODING PLASTIX, along with a host of others!
Dahlen has received numerous industry awards for the albums on which he has appeared, including 13 Spelleman Awards, for which he has been nominated an extraordinary total of 38 times. He can also be found behind the drumkit of a number of Norwegian and International film scores.
As can be gleaned from the fact that his collaborations and sessions have been with a wide variety of artists from different genres and with differing styles, Dahlen is a musician whose considerable skills are both adaptable, and sensitive, to the needs of the musicians around him, but he is also a renowned solo artist, with his own style and ideas. The sound he creates is both massive and intricately layered, and is enriched by the use of a plethora of percussive instruments.
To date he has released four solo albums, starting with 2012’s “Rolling Bomber”, followed by 2015’s “Blossom Bells” and 2018’s “Clocks”, and culminating in “Bones”, which was released in 2020 and proved to be a sophisticated audio-collage, whose key elements weave their way in and out of the melodies throughout the album.
It is with great anticipation, therefore, that Is it Jazz? Records will release Dahlen’s fifth full length album, and Dahlen himself confirms that he is “really excited to release some new music next year on Is it Jazz? Records!”.
Formed in 2013 by pianist Herborg Rundberg as part of her Masters degree in Rhythmic Music at the Tromsø Conservatory, LEAGUS became the contemporary and experimental music duo that it is today when Herborg was joined by guitarist Kristian Svalestad Olstad, who coincidentally also received his Masters degree in the same subject two years earlier.
Following the release of two albums, LEAGUS were commissioned by the NORTH NORWEGIAN JAZZ ENSEMBLE in 2021 to write a piece for a ten-member orchestra, which resulted in Herborg and Kristian composing and arranging the piece “Flora Eallin”, which will now be released in full by Is it Jazz? Records.
By way of introduction, the label has released the track “Hyperion” from the album, and you can stream it, or download it from a variety of services at
A video of LEAGUS performing the track “Hyperion” directed by Norwegian photographer and artist Martin Losvik, and featuring the NORTH NORWEGIAN JAZZ ENSEMBLE, can be seen below and at https://youtu.be/6lGg70cCYlA
Losvik is well known for his distinctive style that can contain elements of humour, surrealism and darkness. The video is the result of Martin being given free hands to do his visual interpretation of this musical project.
As regards the track itself, LEAGUS had this to say:
This song is the final track of the one hour long commissioned piece “Flora Eallin”, which we wrote for Nordnorsk Jazz Ensemble. The piece is an ode to plant life. The song “Hyperion” is named after the world’s tallest living tree and therefore marks the symbolic ending of the piece.
“Flora Eallin” features the NORTH NORWEGIAN JAZZ ENSEMBLE and will be released on the 28 April in CD, Digital and Double LP formats. With cover art and design by Martin Losvik, track listing is as follows:
Over the years the duo have worked extensively on finding new, and different, interactions between the piano and the guitar, leading them to develop for LEAGUS a new and progressive kind of musical togetherness. LEAGUS’ sound is thus highly dynamic with musical contrasts playing a big part in their concept, and alternates between formal composed parts, open structures and free improvisation that at times feel like subdued, minimalistic psalm-like pieces, whilst at other times makes use of more rock-oriented improvised parts,
The name LEAGUS is actually Sami slang for asking for something, and originates in the area in which Herborg herself was born. It is her Sami background, and her work with traditional and classical music, along with Kristian´s extended use of guitar and electronics, that forms the basis of LEAGUS’ sound, which has, over time, developed into an exploratory and complex sonic universe.
Sixteen years have passed since Folk Prog Rockers LUMSK last released an album, but there’s good news for the band’s many fans, because on the 5th of May “Fremmede Toner”, the band’s fourth full-length album, is due to hit the streets on Dark Essence Records.
The title, “Fremmede Toner”, which translated means “Foreign Tones” is taken from a collection of poems translated into Norwegian by the author André Bjerke. The poems featured include those by some of the most famous European and North American poets, such as Nietzsche, Goethe, Swinburne etc.
So far nothing too unusual you may be thinking, but this is where LUMSK take the concept one step further, because, after having composed the music using the Norwegian version of the poems, the band then take those compositions and adapt them to the poems in the original language itself, as they explain:
Not long after the release of «Det Vilde Kor» back in 2007 we somehow stumbled upon a collection of poems by Norwegian Author André Bjerke. In this book, entitled «Fremmde Toner», Bjerke has translated and re-created poems from different English and German speaking poets. When we read those translations and re-creations an idea started to form. We wanted not only to write music to the Norwegian poems, but also write songs to the original poems. The idea of the concept was not only to make the same songs twice, but to make the songs mirror each other in a way, trying to somehow recreate the idea of a translation or re-creation. As with the poems the songs are not the same, but still familiar.
So, finally, after over 15 years, we are ready to present this work. The album, named «Fremmede Toner», consists of twelve songs, or 6 pairs. First you have the Norwegian poems, and afterwards you have the poems in their original form. Even though it has taken us 15 years to release this new album, we have not been working on it continuously over these years. It wasn´t until we completed our line-up with a new vocalist, Mari Klingen, and a new guitarist, Roar Grindheim, that things really started to happen. We are so happy to once again be able to release new music, and are excited to see how it will resonate with old and new listeners.
We really would like to thank those of you who patiently have waited and asked for news from us. The support from different places around the world have been important and moving to witness. It makes the enormous effort behind this album worth it in every way. We hope you will enjoy the album and the concept. It might be strange to hear Lumsk in German and English, but we are really satisfied with the result.
This concept is also reflected on the album cover by Per Spjøtvold, someone with whom the band has worked since the beginning, and, with mixing by Rhys Marsh at Autumnsongs Recordings, and Mastering by Arnstein Fossvik at AudioMaster, the track listing on “Fremmede Toner” is as follows:
Det Døde Barn
En Harmoni
Avskjed
Under Linden
Fiolen
Dagen er Endt
Das Tode Kind
A Match
Abschied
Under der Linden
Da Veilschen
The Day is Done
“Fremmede Toner” is actually the first album on which LUMSK perform songs in a foreign language, whilst musically it continues along the path that has earned the band considerable international recognition. Thanks to their unique blend of metal and Nordic folk music, bound together with rich textures and clever arrangement, “Fremmede Toner” delivers LUMSK’s most varied and intriguing work to date.
“Fremmede Toner” will be released in CD, Double LP and Digital formats and is now available to pre-order from the following:
Formed in 1999 In Trondheim, Norway, it can be argued that LUMSK was likely one of the first bands to have been “built for folk” from the ground up. With their heavy guitars, keyboard and organs, violins, session horns and female vocals, LUMSK was one of the many bands who, towards the end of the 20th Century, were exploring the concept of regional folk traditions. This led to a growing interest amongst metal fans and the creation of a sub-genre all of its own.
Having undergone a number of changes over the years, LUMSK’s seven-piece lineup today includes Mari Klingen on Vocals, Siv Lena Laugtug Sæther on Violin, Eystein Garberg on Guitar, Roar Grindheim on Guitar, Espen Warankov Godø on Keyboards, Espen Hammer on Bass, and Vidar Berg on Drums.
“Moonshine Movement” is the second single from “Do You Dream in Colours”, the upcoming album from AKSEL RØED’S OTHER ASPECTS, and, according to Røed himself the track is a “groovy alibi for the album itself”, as he explains:
The tune consists of a single bass line and a simple drum groove. Sigurd exerts a steadying influence, but makes sure to stir things around and shake things up. Barnes rips straight into a solo with a mind-bending alto horn, whilst the rest of the wind section tightly underscore the solo before an arranged B-section comes in and sets the band up for yet another solo round. This time it’s both Lauritz and Aksel who step to the fore, and again…the B-section follows before the trumpets howl their way towards a drum solo finale.
The tune is meant to be long and static, inspired by the calmness of the Johan Lindstrøm Septett, and the roughness of Angles 9. With Sverre insisting on keeping the bass line heavy and clear for 8 minutes straight, you just can’t miss it. Hopefully you will enjoy the spaceflight upon which the soloists embark.
Very little arrangement has been done for this tune, it’s a vehicle for full-blown soloing on top of a somewhat “naive” groove. The piece stays very much the same (at least what’s written) until 6 minutes in, then we get a different melodical space for Sigurd to blast some drums until we tie it up for the last blast from the horn section. It feels like it’s never going to end, and you will wish it wouldn’t.
“Moonshine Movement” can be downloaded or streamed from a variety of services at
“Do You Dream in Colours” will itself be released on Is it Jazz? Records on the 17th February in CD, LP, and Digital formats. Recorded at the Duper Studios in Bergen, and with cover photo by William Østensen and cover design by Tom Korsvold, tracklisting is as follows:
1. Goiserer Jodler / To Whom This May Concern 2. I Usually Paint by Myself 3. Bergen is the Prettiest in Blue 4. Moonshine Movement 5. When You Dream in Colours
Pre-orders for “Do You Dream in Colours” are now available at
Whilst studying at the Grieg Academy, Aksel Røed’s original intention on forming OTHER ASPECTS back in 2019 was simply to write music for one of his academic projects. But, given that he had, in fact, created an octet that included in its ranks not only some the finest young Norwegian musicians, but also others with a renowned track record, proved to be too much of a temptation for the much sought-after Jazz saxophonist and it quickly became the main focus of Røed’s attention.
OTHER ASPECTS is the largest project, in terms of band members, that Røed (GENERAL POST OFFICE, DAG ARNESEN) has been involved with. Aside from Røed himself, the lineup of OTHER ASPECTS, includes his brother Lyder Øvreås Røed on trumpet and flugelhorn, Andreas Hesselberg Hatzikiriakidis on second trumpet, Sigurd Steinkopf on drums, Sverre Sæbø on bass, and Isach Skeidsvoll on piano. Aside from Røed himself on tenor sax, the saxophone section is made up of Lauritz Lyster Skeidsvoll (BEAR BROTHER, MASTER OOGWAY) on soprano and tenor, and Michael Barnes (BERGEN BIGBAND) on baritone sax and bass clarinet. Barnes, who Røed describes as an “Aussie who writes the best scores for large ensembles in Bergen”, also happens to be Røed’s long time mentor and friend.
Musically Røed finds insipiration in the old saxophone recordings of Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler and Pharoah Sanders, and in the composition styles of Django Bates and Charlie Hadens Liberation Orchestra, but OTHER ASPECTS bears Røed’s hallmarks, with music that constantly drifts into different and surprising directions. As he recently explained:
The music is composed but not set, meaning its perfectly acceptable, and even encouraged, to think and play outside the box. Most of the magic within the band lies in the free improvisation.
The next live appearance of AKSEL RØED’S OTHER ASPECTS will be on the 22nd of February, when the band will celebrate the release of the album with a show at the at Bergen Kjøtt.
On the 31st March, Dark Essence Records will be releasing the debut full-length album from TILINTETGJORT, one of the most interesting of the new bands to have recently emerged on Oslo’s Black Metal scene. Titled “In Death I Shall Arise” the album reveals TILINTETGJORT to be a fierce and passionate band. One whose strange nightmarish visions blurs the line between insanity and reality, and fills the listener with dread, alchemical madness, and arcane mysteries.
As a taste of things to come, Dark Essence has today released the track “Mercurial” from the album. It is a track about which TILINTETGJORT exhorts us to “Inhale the fumes of mercury and embark on a journey through alchemical visions and truths”.
Finding inspiration for their particular brand of Avant-garde Black Metal in both ’90’s Black Metal, as well as in ’70’s Prog and various other experimental genres, TILINTETGJORT was formed in the early summer of 2020 by Oslo-based musicians Den Gamle and Hazzlegard on guitars, and Sturt on bass. With Tybalt on drums and Svik on vocals joining shortly thereafter, the band became a fully-fledged five piece, working on their music, and making their live debut.
Undergoing gruelling rehearsals and an arduous creative process, TILINTETGJORT honed in on their unique take on Black Metal, meticulously crafting their material until they were finally ready to begin recording.
Favouring some older techniques, the vast majority of “In Death I Shall Arise” was recorded live over a period of three days. After a few overdubs in Evil Octopus Studios, the album was mixed at Chaka Khan before being mastered by Jack Control of Enormous Door.
The ensuing album is focused and inspired, with TILINTETGJORT displaying an abundance of creativity and a desire to break down the walls of a genre that is largely stagnating. Filled with inspiration and madness of the soul, TILINTETGJORT have embarked on a journey to hunt for truth in a widely delusional world, offering to be our guide through the mysteries of knowledge and death.
The track listing for “In Death I Shall Arise” is as follows:
TILINTETGJORT’s next live appearance will be on Saturday 8th April when they will celebrate the release of the album with a show at Inferno Festival in Oslo.
PATRICIA THOMAS BAND MANAGEMENT 