emotional

image by ramon duran

Guess it’s hard to leave Scandinavia behind after a few days of Finland, we will now go to the picturesque Norway with a new album from Rune Grammofon veteran Arve Henriksen. We can all collectively envy how little time it takes Rune Grammofon to give us one after another outstanding release, just a few months after I reviewed 3 of their terrific releases from Svalastog & In the Country and Huntsville. Arve’s “Strjon” is the medieval name of his hometown Stryn on the westcoast of Norway. How he captured the beautiful scenery of his landscape so completely with only a trumpet beats me, but after listening to it I’m sure that I’ve been there! (or haven’t I?).

image by maarten mooijman

Strjon can be enjoyed best with a quality headphone (but time freezes!) with Arve’s mellow trumpet sounds assisted by his Supersilent colleagues, keyboardist Ståle Storløkken and guitarist Helge Sten who has also produced the album. The music is close to being ambient with only a few emergent rhythms here and there. Prepare to be amazed if you think of his trumpet playing in terms of traditional jazz, as this is a highly emotive (almost an elegy to medieval times) and lyrical album that’d make you go “was that a painting or music?” right after every song.

Arve Henriksen - Leaf and Rock