Olsson, Henrik - Antumbra Ensemble CD
SKU
Rune 548
Henrik Olsson - electric guitar, additional synths/sounds
Michaela Turcerová alto sax
Erik Kimestad Pedersen - trumpet
Petter Hängsel - trombone & recorder
Kristian Tangvik - tuba
Jeppe Skovbakke - electric bass
Rune Lohse - drums
When we open the box to a jigsaw puzzle, we see a pile of disparate pieces, each with their own identifying characteristics. To assemble, we need to understand the logic of the shapes and how they might fit together. Eventually we need to zoom out and consider the big picture. For guitarist Henrik Olsson, composition works in a similar way.
His process is intuitive, playing until he finds the right musical figure, then tossing it about in repetition to discover everything it has to offer. “I constantly have to ask a piece what comes before or what comes after,” he explains. Slowly, the pieces reveal themselves, and the composition assembles.
On his Cuneiform Records debut, Antumbra Ensemble, Olsson has created eight musical puzzles, each unique in form and function. Joined with a group that includes fellow artists from the Copenhagen scene, he draws on a seemingly unending well of sounds to form his songs, each serving as single pieces to form the record’s whole.
Olsson’s approach references artists like Henry Threadgill’s groundbreaking Very Very Circus band—a unit that remains instantly identifiable through labyrinthine structures—and Rock In Opposition artists, namely Henry Cow, who essentially made unpredictability their vocabulary. In each, it is a unique vision and framework that holds those groups’ sound together. The same can certainly be said for Olsson. “When I was a kid and really got into a record,” he explains, “I wanted to live in this world, where I could smell and taste and discover new things. That’s the kind of experience I want to give the listener.”
Antumbra Ensemble is a wild adventure that blends an ever-evolving palette with a strong penchant for deep, shifting grooves and melodies that are both varied and catchy. It all centers around Olsson’s fearless musical voice, his kaleidoscopic compositions at the forefront, supported by his bold guitar flavors and a well-oiled, highly versatile band who are committed to the cause. Together, they put together a puzzle you’ll want to hear.
- LabelCuneiform
- UPC045775054827