Rune Grammofon was established in January 1998 with the aim to release music by the most creative and adventurous Norwegian artists. Since then, it has documented the amazing flowering and development of young Norwegian talent within the areas of electronica, improvisation, ambient, free music and everything in between to long-overdue international acclaim. Among those impressed is quality label ECM who has handled the European distribution since 2000. Special care is given to the packaging of all releases, most housed in digipacks and sporting the striking design of young multi-media artist, Kim Hiorthøy. "A vibrant vision." --The Wire; "Strikingly fresh cover art, impeccably recorded sound." --BBC Music Magazine; "A label on top of its game." --BBC Online; "An indie in the finest traditions." --Time Out; "On the forefront of Norwegian jazz/electronica..." --Wallpaper; "Norway's finest record label." --The Milk Factory; "Always eclectic and enjoyable." --Dusted; "A consistently interesting label." --Flux
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RCD 2211CD
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$14.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 1/24/2020
Henry Kaiser is an American guitarist, composer, label founder, photographer, and professional diver. He appears on more than 250 albums, including collaborations with the likes of Fred Frith, Richard Thompson, David Lindley, Wadada Leo Smith, Derek Bailey, Jim O'Rourke, and numerous others. In 2017 he initiated and produced the two Sky Music albums (RCD 2194CD/RLP 3194LP, RLP 2195LP), both tributes to Norwegian guitar legend Terje Rypdal. Ivar Grydeland is a Norwegian guitarist and composer, most known from the trio Huntsville (Rune Grammofon, Hubro) and Dans Les Arbres (ECM, Hubro, Sofa). He has recorded and performed with a number of musicians including Nils Petter Molvær, David Sylvian, Tony Oxley, Nels Cline, Thurston Moore, and Paul Lovens. He has released two solo albums on Hubro. The two guitarists first met in an Oslo studio in January 2019. Having admired each other's work for some time, they decided right there and then to record a guitar duet collaboration specifically to create a soundtrack for a classic Norwegian silent film. They spent 30 minutes setting up to record and Kaiser suggested a short test recording to one of the less likely candidates, Roald Amundsen's 1925 documentary Ellsworths flyveekspedition 1925. One hour and fifty-six minutes later, they set down their guitars and shook their heads in wonder. They had played for the entire length of the film without breaks, in the process creating a complete score for the film. The Norwegian explorer was a key figure of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. In 1911, he led the first expedition to the South Pole, and is proven to have been the first to reach the North Pole in 1926. Across the Arctic, traditions of shamanism endure among the Inuit. A vision of the Arctic outside of mundane history, yet common in human polar experience, exists in "time out of time" or "everywhen", during which the land is inhabited by figures of heroic proportions. Amundsen and his colleagues were just such figures. Grydeland and Kaiser seemed to have entered into a kind of Arctic Dreamtime as they conjured this film soundtrack into existence; playing in real time with the film. Their guitar improvisations explore historic events, and invoke those heroic figures of the far north, illuminating both Norwegian history, and shamanic time outside of history, through music.
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LP+CD
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RLP 3209LP
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$26.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 11/22/2019
LP version. Includes CD. As David Fricke points out in his liner notes, this is not just another novelty guest-project, the Krokofant on Q is like a brand-new band. In fact, all the involved are so happy with this album that there's more to come with a bunch of new material already written. After three albums in three years as a trio, and sensing the possible danger of being stuck in a formula, they all felt a need to try something new, taking the band one step further. Especially Tom Hasslan, guitarist and main composer, felt an urge to expand the canvas and sonic possibilities. Ståle Storløkken (Elephant9, Supersilent, Terje Rypdal) was the trio's first choice for a keyboardist. He had seen Krokofant live in 2015 and, in his own words "had an instant kick", so he said yes straight away. Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (Scorch Trio, The Thing, Atomic) had seen them the same year, and practically invited himself to join up at some time. Hasslan's tunes are perfect vehicles for Storløkken to present the full scope of his playing; from sheer pastoral beauty to full on jazz skronk. The same can be said about Jørgen Mathisen, who is given ample room for soloing. By introducing Håker Flaten and his bass, work was lifted from Hasslan's shoulders while a "proper" rhythm section was born, Skalstad and Flaten instantly bonding. Personnel: Tom Hasslan - guitars; Axel Skalstad - drums; Jørgen Mathisen - saxophones; Ståle Storløkken - Hammond organ and keyboards; Ingebrigt Håker Flaten - bass.
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RCD 2209CD
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As David Fricke points out in his liner notes, this is not just another novelty guest-project, the Krokofant on Q is like a brand-new band. In fact, all the involved are so happy with this album that there's more to come with a bunch of new material already written. After three albums in three years as a trio, and sensing the possible danger of being stuck in a formula, they all felt a need to try something new, taking the band one step further. Especially Tom Hasslan, guitarist and main composer, felt an urge to expand the canvas and sonic possibilities. Ståle Storløkken (Elephant9, Supersilent, Terje Rypdal) was the trio's first choice for a keyboardist. He had seen Krokofant live in 2015 and, in his own words "had an instant kick", so he said yes straight away. Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (Scorch Trio, The Thing, Atomic) had seen them the same year, and practically invited himself to join up at some time. Hasslan's tunes are perfect vehicles for Storløkken to present the full scope of his playing; from sheer pastoral beauty to full on jazz skronk. The same can be said about Jørgen Mathisen, who is given ample room for soloing. By introducing Håker Flaten and his bass, work was lifted from Hasslan's shoulders while a "proper" rhythm section was born, Skalstad and Flaten instantly bonding. Personnel: Tom Hasslan - guitars; Axel Skalstad - drums; Jørgen Mathisen - saxophones; Ståle Storløkken - Hammond organ and keyboards; Ingebrigt Håker Flaten - bass.
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4LP BOX/2CD
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RLP 3210LP
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In a world where being loud seems to be the only ticket for attention, Arve Henriksen has somewhat quietly and without much ado established himself as an important, major player on the European jazz scene. In his 20 years with Rune Grammofon counting 11 solo albums (including one for ECM) and 12 albums with Supersilent (including two for Smalltown Supersound), in addition to four albums with Food as well as numerous collaborations, far too many to mention here. During these years he has also performed quite extensively in Europe, in later years being more choose-y, often preferring more unique venues and locations. Consisting of unreleased material from around ten years back and up until 2019, The Timeless Nowhere is not a compilation in the traditional sense, but can still be seen as a career overview including many facets of his work, at the same time portraying an artist on an unstoppable quest for discovery through exploration. Indeed, these are also four individual albums that could easily have justified separate releases, but at this stage in Arve's artistic journey it also made perfect sense to assemble them as a box set. The common denominator is about inspiration drawn from composers, collaborators, new discoveries and more specifically; spontaneous interaction with other musicians without other purposes than the music itself. No talk, no demands, no intentions, no explaining; just music in a timeless nowhere. "Captured Under Mountainsides" points to the wild landscape scenery of the area where Arve grew up in the western part of Norway; overwhelming and often strikingly beautiful, but also isolated and with a sense of melancholy. "Acousmograph" is Arve on his own, inspired by compositions and musicians, more experimental in nature and partly based on sketch recordings in odd locations. "Cryosphere" is a co-production with long-time collaborator Jan Bang re-modelling material from a series of evolving concert performances. "Towards Language - Live At Punkt" could be seen as a departure from Arve´s usual approach, but at the same time it´s not. This is not a static run through -- Arve would never allow that -- but rather the kind of re-imagining process that is such a vital part of his music making.
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RCD 2208CD
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Eight new beguiling Kjetil Mulelid compositions expertly balancing energetic, often rhythmically complex and harmonically rich music with beautiful and evocative melodies. It's not all about Mulelid though, bassist Bjørn Marius Hegge (31) and drummer Andreas Skår Winther (28) effortlessly conjure additional layers, tones, and textures, incorporating a sense of calm; an unhurried yet constantly unfolding sound world which can be said to be distinctively Scandinavian, most typically heard in Hegge's sole composition "Bruremarsj (Wedding March)". Kjetil André Mulelid grew up in the small village of Hurdal, and started playing the piano when he was nine, after hearing Chopin on the stereo. In high school, he had the good fortune of studying with some inspiring piano teachers. Later he received a bachelor's degree in jazz performance at NTNU in Trondheim, again being blessed with top teachers, such as Erling Aksdal, Vigleik Storaas, and Espen Berg. He is also a member of jazz quartet Wako. Bjørn Marius Hegge has been making waves on the Norwegian jazz scene lately, with his quintet's debut album Hegge winning a Norwegian Grammy. He also has his own trio with pianist Oscar Grönberg and young drummer ace Hans Hulbækmo.
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RLP 3208LP
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LP version. Includes CD. Eight new beguiling Kjetil Mulelid compositions expertly balancing energetic, often rhythmically complex and harmonically rich music with beautiful and evocative melodies. It's not all about Mulelid though, bassist Bjørn Marius Hegge (31) and drummer Andreas Skår Winther (28) effortlessly conjure additional layers, tones, and textures, incorporating a sense of calm; an unhurried yet constantly unfolding sound world which can be said to be distinctively Scandinavian, most typically heard in Hegge's sole composition "Bruremarsj (Wedding March)". Kjetil André Mulelid grew up in the small village of Hurdal, and started playing the piano when he was nine, after hearing Chopin on the stereo. In high school, he had the good fortune of studying with some inspiring piano teachers. Later he received a bachelor's degree in jazz performance at NTNU in Trondheim, again being blessed with top teachers, such as Erling Aksdal, Vigleik Storaas, and Espen Berg. He is also a member of jazz quartet Wako. Bjørn Marius Hegge has been making waves on the Norwegian jazz scene lately, with his quintet's debut album Hegge winning a Norwegian Grammy. He also has his own trio with pianist Oscar Grönberg and young drummer ace Hans Hulbækmo.
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RLP 3204LP
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LP version. Composed, performed, mixed, and produced by Maja S. K. Ratkje, Sult is based upon Ratkje´s music created for the ballet Sult ("Hunger") by director Jo Strømgren for the Norwegian National Ballet. This is a departure from the records and live settings normally associated with Ratkje, as we find her placed behind a modified, wiggly and out-of-tune pump organ, singing songs and improvising. Metal tubes, PVC tubes and a wind machine were built into the organ; guitar strings, a bass string, a resin thread, metal and glass percussion and a bow are also utilized. With little or no previous experience, she had to learn to play the thing live, using both hands and feet at the same time as singing. Maja played live on stage during every performance, but later modified and recorded the music especially for this record, with Frode Haltli co-producing. It´s a freestanding document, an entity of its own, but the atmosphere is very much the same as in the play: the dusty city of Kristiania in the 19th century, the street noises and the sounds.
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RCD 2206CD
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Elephant9 was already established as a vital live favorite on the Norwegian scene -- due to a number of energetic and enthusiastically received concerts -- before their highly-acclaimed debut album Dodovoodoo was released in May 2008 (RCD 2075CD). 11 years later, and after another four studio albums, it was about time to properly document this live force in the form of not only one album, but two double albums. Indeed, the very limited, vinyl-only Live at the BBC album was released in 2011 (RLP 2118LP), but this time the band booked a four-day residency at the intimate Kampen Bistro in Oslo and invited old friend Reine Fiske -- a vital presence on previous albums Atlantis (RCD 2134CD/RLP 3134LP, 2012) and Silver Mountain (RCD 2174CD/RLP 3174LP, 2016) -- along for two of the evenings. Everything was recorded in front of enthusiastic crowds and later mixed by Christian Engfelt, another trusted collaborator. It's a rough warts-and-all mix, with no overdubs, repairs or edits. Tracks are picked from all their albums, often given lengthy workouts with room for improvisation. The trio is extremely tight and telepathic, with Ståle as the obvious soloist, but it's worth to mention the drummer for a change, Torstein being a powerhouse that truly shines on these recordings.
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2LP
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RLP 3207LP
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Double LP version. Reine Fiske has on several occasions proved a perfect guest for the Elephant9 trio, both on record and on stage. Never one to fight for attention, with Elephant9 he's a true equal given the opportunity to express himself both as a soloist as well as a rhythm guitarist, his interaction with Ståle Storløkken's keyboards creating some magic sequences. Ståle is a founder member of Supersilent since 1997, and has for many years been Terje Rypdal's trusted right hand. Nikolai Hængsle is most known from Bigband and Band of Gold. Torstein Lofthus was a member of Shining for several years and has played with a large number of jazz, pop, and rock artists. Reine Fiske is a founder member of Dungen and Träden, the continuation of the legendary Swedish group Träd, Gräs Och Stenar.
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2LP
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RLP 3206LP
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Double LP version. Elephant9 was already established as a vital live favorite on the Norwegian scene -- due to a number of energetic and enthusiastically received concerts -- before their highly-acclaimed debut album Dodovoodoo was released in May 2008 (RCD 2075CD). 11 years later, and after another four studio albums, it was about time to properly document this live force in the form of not only one album, but two double albums. Indeed, the very limited, vinyl-only Live at the BBC album was released in 2011 (RLP 2118LP), but this time the band booked a four-day residency at the intimate Kampen Bistro in Oslo and invited old friend Reine Fiske -- a vital presence on previous albums Atlantis (RCD 2134CD/RLP 3134LP, 2012) and Silver Mountain (RCD 2174CD/RLP 3174LP, 2016) -- along for two of the evenings. Everything was recorded in front of enthusiastic crowds and later mixed by Christian Engfelt, another trusted collaborator. It's a rough warts-and-all mix, with no overdubs, repairs or edits. Tracks are picked from all their albums, often given lengthy workouts with room for improvisation. The trio is extremely tight and telepathic, with Ståle as the obvious soloist, but it's worth to mention the drummer for a change, Torstein being a powerhouse that truly shines on these recordings.
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RCD 2207CD
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Reine Fiske has on several occasions proved a perfect guest for the Elephant9 trio, both on record and on stage. Never one to fight for attention, with Elephant9 he's a true equal given the opportunity to express himself both as a soloist as well as a rhythm guitarist, his interaction with Ståle Storløkken's keyboards creating some magic sequences. Ståle is a founder member of Supersilent since 1997, and has for many years been Terje Rypdal's trusted right hand. Nikolai Hængsle is most known from Bigband and Band of Gold. Torstein Lofthus was a member of Shining for several years and has played with a large number of jazz, pop, and rock artists. Reine Fiske is a founder member of Dungen and Träden, the continuation of the legendary Swedish group Träd, Gräs Och Stenar.
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2LP+CD
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RLP 3205LP
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Double LP version. Includes CD. Their first two albums, Exit (RCD 2138CD/RLP 3138LP, 2013) and Enter (RCD 2158CD/RLP 3158LP, 2014), were presented with sizable and ambitious line-ups of 28 musicians. Ritual (RCD 2182CD/RLP 3182LP, 2016) saw it reduced to 21 and with Arrival it's been trimmed down to a "mere" 14, with the core trio of Fire! (Mats Gustafsson, Johan Berthling, and Andreas Werliin) and the two singers Mariam Wallentin and Sofia Jernberg being the only constant members since the beginning. Apart from this reduction, the main line-up difference is the introduction of a string quartet. This "cleanup" has worked wonders, keeping the rhythm and horn sections to their bare necessities, with the string quartet expanding the canvas and bringing a new, exciting dimension to the table. And on top of their game; the two powerful and sublime singers, quite different, but still blending perfectly. Drummer and producer Andreas Werliin should also be mentioned for his work in the audio department; rarely has there been such a detailed, warm, deep and dynamic mix from a relatively complex combination of instruments. Arrival is a collection of more individual compositions and songs, including two stunning cover versions. "Blue Crystal Fire" by visionary guitarist Robbie Basho was first heard on his 1978 album Visions of the Country. "At Last I Am Free" was originally written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers of Chic. Although the rest of the tracks are credited to Berthling, Gustafsson, Werliin and Wallentin, it's important to stress that this time the orchestra members have had considerable creative input throughout the process. Arrival is light and shade, joy and despair, structure and improvisation, performed by an ensemble of excellent musicians.
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RCD 2205CD
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Their first two albums, Exit (RCD 2138CD/RLP 3138LP, 2013) and Enter (RCD 2158CD/RLP 3158LP, 2014), were presented with sizable and ambitious line-ups of 28 musicians. Ritual (RCD 2182CD/RLP 3182LP, 2016) saw it reduced to 21 and with Arrival it's been trimmed down to a "mere" 14, with the core trio of Fire! (Mats Gustafsson, Johan Berthling, and Andreas Werliin) and the two singers Mariam Wallentin and Sofia Jernberg being the only constant members since the beginning. Apart from this reduction, the main line-up difference is the introduction of a string quartet. This "cleanup" has worked wonders, keeping the rhythm and horn sections to their bare necessities, with the string quartet expanding the canvas and bringing a new, exciting dimension to the table. And on top of their game; the two powerful and sublime singers, quite different, but still blending perfectly. Drummer and producer Andreas Werliin should also be mentioned for his work in the audio department; rarely has there been such a detailed, warm, deep and dynamic mix from a relatively complex combination of instruments. Arrival is a collection of more individual compositions and songs, including two stunning cover versions. "Blue Crystal Fire" by visionary guitarist Robbie Basho was first heard on his 1978 album Visions of the Country. "At Last I Am Free" was originally written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers of Chic. Although the rest of the tracks are credited to Berthling, Gustafsson, Werliin and Wallentin, it's important to stress that this time the orchestra members have had considerable creative input throughout the process. Arrival is light and shade, joy and despair, structure and improvisation, performed by an ensemble of excellent musicians.
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MPLP 303LP
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LP version. 2019 marks 30 years since Motorpsycho's humble beginnings in Trondheim. Both visually and musically, The Crucible starts where The Tower (2017) ended, but it soon takes on its own hue, and it is clear that it cannot be called a "sequel" as such: this is very much a step further out than anywhere the band ventured on The Tower. While it is broader lyrically speaking, it is even sharper focused musically and, if possible, even more idiosyncratic and insular than ever: unarguably a Motorpsycho album. There aren't many traditional song structures or pop format platitudes on display, and there is indeed hardly any respect paid to any trad rock song conventions on the whole album, but that's not really what one listens to Motorpsycho for anyway, is it? From the most Neanderthal of rock riffs to the most rhythmically oblique polytonal solo sections they've ever recorded, this album musically seems to sum up the extremes of the band's current interests and concerns. The Crucible was recorded at Monnow Valley Studios in Wales in August 2018 by Hans Magnus Ryan (guitars, vocals), Bent Sæther (bass, vocals, sundry), and Tomas Järmyr (drums), with co-producers Andrew Scheps and Deathprod. Scheps mixed the band's last two live recordings -- A Boxful of Demons and Roadwork Vol. 5 (MPLP 302LP) -- and in that process, made himself a logical choice to record the next studio album.
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MPCD 103CD
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2019 marks 30 years since Motorpsycho's humble beginnings in Trondheim. Both visually and musically, The Crucible starts where The Tower (2017) ended, but it soon takes on its own hue, and it is clear that it cannot be called a "sequel" as such: this is very much a step further out than anywhere the band ventured on The Tower. While it is broader lyrically speaking, it is even sharper focused musically and, if possible, even more idiosyncratic and insular than ever: unarguably a Motorpsycho album. There aren't many traditional song structures or pop format platitudes on display, and there is indeed hardly any respect paid to any trad rock song conventions on the whole album, but that's not really what one listens to Motorpsycho for anyway, is it? From the most Neanderthal of rock riffs to the most rhythmically oblique polytonal solo sections they've ever recorded, this album musically seems to sum up the extremes of the band's current interests and concerns. The Crucible was recorded at Monnow Valley Studios in Wales in August 2018 by Hans Magnus Ryan (guitars, vocals), Bent Sæther (bass, vocals, sundry), and Tomas Järmyr (drums), with co-producers Andrew Scheps and Deathprod. Scheps mixed the band's last two live recordings -- A Boxful of Demons and Roadwork Vol. 5 (MPLP 302LP) -- and in that process, made himself a logical choice to record the next studio album.
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RCD 2204CD
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Composed, performed, mixed, and produced by Maja S. K. Ratkje, Sult is based upon Ratkje´s music created for the ballet Sult ("Hunger") by director Jo Strømgren for the Norwegian National Ballet. This is a departure from the records and live settings normally associated with Ratkje, as we find her placed behind a modified, wiggly and out-of-tune pump organ, singing songs and improvising. Metal tubes, PVC tubes and a wind machine were built into the organ; guitar strings, a bass string, a resin thread, metal and glass percussion and a bow are also utilized. With little or no previous experience, she had to learn to play the thing live, using both hands and feet at the same time as singing. Maja played live on stage during every performance, but later modified and recorded the music especially for this record, with Frode Haltli co-producing. It´s a freestanding document, an entity of its own, but the atmosphere is very much the same as in the play: the dusty city of Kristiania in the 19th century, the street noises and the sounds.
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RCD 2203CD
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With Smells Funny being their sixth album in seven years, the explosive and expansive Hedvig Mollestad Trio have gone from strength to strength, gathering respect from both rock and jazz camps, sharing big stages with the likes of John McLaughlin and Black Sabbath, and being equally comfortable in jazz and rock clubs. Smells Funny sees Mollestad truly coming into her own as an amazing lead guitarist as well as a dependable riffmeister. Hedvig first picked up her mother's nylon-strung acoustic guitar at ten, before discovering a whole new world through her father's jazz and rock record collection as a teenager. She translated a biography of Jimi Hendrix for a school project and was given her first electric guitar and amplifier as a confirmation present. The members of the trio are from the districts, but Hedvig met Ellen Brekken and Ivar Loe Bjørnstad at the Music Academy in Oslo. Hedvig asked them to join her after she received the Jazz Talent Of The Year Award at Molde International Jazzfestival in 2009. They have stayed together since, and all previous albums have been released on Rune Grammofon; Shoot! (RCD 2115CD/RLP 3115LP, 2011), All Of Them Witches (RCD 2141CD/RLP 3141LP 2013), Enfant Terrible (RCD 2157CD/ RLP 3157LP, 2014), Black Stabat Mater (RCD 2183CD/RLP 3183LP, 2016) and Evil In Oslo (RLP 2184LP, 2016), all to wide international acclaim.
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RLP 3203LP
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LP version. With Smells Funny being their sixth album in seven years, the explosive and expansive Hedvig Mollestad Trio have gone from strength to strength, gathering respect from both rock and jazz camps, sharing big stages with the likes of John McLaughlin and Black Sabbath, and being equally comfortable in jazz and rock clubs. Smells Funny sees Mollestad truly coming into her own as an amazing lead guitarist as well as a dependable riffmeister. Hedvig first picked up her mother's nylon-strung acoustic guitar at ten, before discovering a whole new world through her father's jazz and rock record collection as a teenager. She translated a biography of Jimi Hendrix for a school project and was given her first electric guitar and amplifier as a confirmation present. The members of the trio are from the districts, but Hedvig met Ellen Brekken and Ivar Loe Bjørnstad at the Music Academy in Oslo. Hedvig asked them to join her after she received the Jazz Talent Of The Year Award at Molde International Jazzfestival in 2009. They have stayed together since, and all previous albums have been released on Rune Grammofon; Shoot! (RCD 2115CD/RLP 3115LP, 2011), All Of Them Witches (RCD 2141CD/RLP 3141LP 2013), Enfant Terrible (RCD 2157CD/ RLP 3157LP, 2014), Black Stabat Mater (RCD 2183CD/RLP 3183LP, 2016) and Evil In Oslo (RLP 2184LP, 2016), all to wide international acclaim.
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7"/Book
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RBK 2200BK
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After having borrowed lines from Jimi Hendrix and English poets for all previous anniversary releases, Rune Grammofon struck out for this one until Kim Hiorthøy, well after the deadline, accidentally stumbled over Johnny Cash and Forever Words: The Unknown Poems (2016). Let's Put It To Music quite nails it when it comes to the basic idea of the book and how the label approach the whole process of making a record. As Tim Gane is quoted in Adrian Shaughnessy's introduction "a Stereolab record was never finished until the cover was done". That rings true for Rune Grammofon as well, and they would like to add that a sleeve is never designed for the sole purpose of selling a product (it took 28 releases before an artist was pictured on the sleeve), or necessarily reflect the music in any way, but rather to establish a suggestive relation between the two, often based on the album title or a song title, but not in an obvious way. After some 200 releases, Kim has never "explained" a sleeve design, and Rune can't remember ever asking him. But it's hard to recall another label that has worked with one designer exclusively for 20 years and 200 releases. The exclusivity was a premise for the collaboration from the very beginning, but Rune certainly never had any expectations about how long the label would be able to keep it going. Especially when considering that Kim is occupied on a number of arenas; as photographer, filmmaker, illustrator, painter, writer, musician, dancer, and choreographer. As one will discover, the book is far from being a catalog lining up the releases (it's not even "complete" or chronological in that sense), but gives an interesting insight by also including sketches, rejected designs, and unused ideas that never left the drawing board... until now. Lists are a source of controversy, as Hedvig Mollestad discusses rather well in her text. The idea of including a 7" single also came late, and would depend on getting at last one track really quick. To Rune Grammofon's delight, they miraculously ended up with what is surely three of the most beautiful tracks in their catalog, and all exclusive for this release, featuring Fire! Orchestra, Maja S. K. Ratkje, and The Last Hurrah!! with Nora Zheng. Introductions by David Fricke and Adrian Shaughnessy. 224 pages.
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RALP 319LP
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Rune Grammofon present a reissue of Motorpsycho's Roadwork Vol. 2: The MotorSourceMassacre , originally released in 2000 and since long out of print. In 1995 Motorpsycho was invited by Trondheim freebag jazz combo The Source to share the stage at Kongsberg Jazz Festival. The band´s psychedelic/kraut/prog-leanings hadn´t taken them as far as jazz yet, not to mention the Ornette Coleman-style free jazz stuff The Source were playing, but they were game. This is the result: some 70 minutes of metal overkill, early '70s crypto-funk, analog synth hell and some pretty free form, out-there escapades. An early example of Norwegian genre-crossing that still sounds surprisingly fresh 23 years later.
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2LP
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RALP 318LP
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Rune Grammofon presents a reissue of Motorpsycho's Roadwork Vol. 1: Live in Europe 1998, originally released in 1999 and since long out of print. This first volume consists of recordings made on the Motorpsycho Mobile during the Trust Us (1998) tour of Europe that started 6th May 1998. Some 40 hours of live Motorpsycho was captured on tape, and these are the songs the band felt represented the musical content of the tour the best.
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CD
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RCD 2202CD
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The Last Hurrah!!'s Los Angeles started out as a commission work for the Vossajazz festival, and was performed in Voss in western Norway in March 2018. A far cry from Los Angeles, but to mastermind and founder HP Gundersen there are no boundaries in music and such differences are only sources of inspiration and natural parts of his vast musical universe. For the previous album Mudflowers (RCD 2171CD/RLP 3171LP, 2015), HP Gundersen "found" and recruited the perfect singer in Maesa Pullman, daughter of famed actor Bill Pullman. Coming from a musical family, she performs frequently in different musical constellations in Southern California, being a profiled presence in the local roots community. A songwriter in her own right, Maesa also handles guitar and piano as well as the drums. Since the release of Mudflowers, bass player, recording engineer and co-producer Jason Hiller has come onboard as a permanent member of the trio that currently serves as the core of The Last Hurrah!!. Originally seen as a one-off project, it soon became clear that the chemistry between the three went much deeper and far reaching than the Americana influences that dominated parts of Mudflowers.
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LP
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RLP 3202LP
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LP version. The Last Hurrah!!'s Los Angeles started out as a commission work for the Vossajazz festival, and was performed in Voss in western Norway in March 2018. A far cry from Los Angeles, but to mastermind and founder HP Gundersen there are no boundaries in music and such differences are only sources of inspiration and natural parts of his vast musical universe. For the previous album Mudflowers (RCD 2171CD/RLP 3171LP, 2015), HP Gundersen "found" and recruited the perfect singer in Maesa Pullman, daughter of famed actor Bill Pullman. Coming from a musical family, she performs frequently in different musical constellations in Southern California, being a profiled presence in the local roots community. A songwriter in her own right, Maesa also handles guitar and piano as well as the drums. Since the release of Mudflowers, bass player, recording engineer and co-producer Jason Hiller has come onboard as a permanent member of the trio that currently serves as the core of The Last Hurrah!!. Originally seen as a one-off project, it soon became clear that the chemistry between the three went much deeper and far reaching than the Americana influences that dominated parts of Mudflowers.
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LP
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RALP 321LP
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Recorded at the same Rainbow Studio sessions, and with the same top musicians and legendary engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug, this can only be seen as the rightful twin companion to The Nature Of Connections from 2014. One can easily understand how Arve Henriksen must have found it difficult to select tracks for The Nature Of Connections, leaving these on the shelf. Composograph is standing rock solid as a top notch Henriksen album. There are the typical folk music ties, courtesy of fiddlers Nils Økland and Gjermund Larsen, contemporary chamber jazz, nods to avant free music and atmospheric tone poems. All in all, twelve exquisite originals from one of the world´s leading trumpet players.
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LP+CD
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RLP 3201LP
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LP version with CD. The Height Of The Reeds started as a commissioned work to the city of Hull, Great Britain´s cultural capital 2017. Composed by Arve Henriksen, Eivind Aarset and Jan Bang, the work celebrates the longstanding seafaring relationship between Hull and Scandinavia. It was originally the musical companion to a sound walk that took place in April, May and June 2017. Those who took part could listen to the music on headphones while crossing the Humber Bridge. Initially intended for April only, the arrangement proved so popular it ended up selling out three months. Only minor adjustments have been done to justify the transition from sound walk to album. Other than Henriksen, Aarset and Bang, the work includes important contributions from Hull sound artist Jez Riley French, providing field recordings from the bridge itself: the river below, the noise of engines, the creaking of steel wires, wheels against asphalt and the song of the reeds in the wind. Opera North´s choir and orchestra provides the necessary musical space for the soloists, and two actors and a child read from translated poems by Norwegian poet Nils Christian Moe-Repstad.
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