Search - Arild Andersen :: Electra (Slip)

Largely forgettable soundscapes

David J. Ohanlon | Lilyfield, NSW Australia | 09/28/2007

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Clearly written as a dramatic accompaniment, as stand-alone music (ie. as opposed to background music) this Arild Anderson disc just doesn't cut it. For the most part (& especially as evidenced by the first 5 tracks) it is entirely predictable & ponderous with long, drawn-out musical soundscapes with over-use of bass (surprise, surprise!) & drum loops & other technology. The only highlights worthy of note are tracks 9 (which itself takes ages to get going but ultimately features beautifully haunting trumpet work by Arve Henriksen) & 13 plus the vocals of Savina Yannatou (on 6 tracks in total) - 2.5 stars."

A majestic soundscape

Nitya Nadesan | Mercer Island, WA United States | 02/05/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Arild Andersen

Electra



Arve Henriksen trumpet

Eivind Aarset guitars

Paolo Vinaccia drums, percussion

Patrice Héral drums, percussion, voice

Nils Petter Molvær drum programming

Savina Yannatou vocal

Chrysanthi Douzi vocal

Elly-Marina Casdas chorus vocal

Fotini-Niki Grammenou chorus vocal

Arild Andersen double bass, drum programming



Bassist Arild Andersen has created a majestic soundscape that seems to hover in the air like an early autumn mist. Swirling around this self-contained world are numerous components, all of which vie for your attention from Arve Henriksen's trumpet to Eivind Aarset's anti-guitar via the ethereal voices of Elly Casdas and Fotini Grammenou. The result is an album that surges forward then subsides, holding your attention like a page-turning novel. Both original yet somehow familiar , this is music that as yet doesn't have a name, which doesn't detract, thankfully, from its shimmering brilliance."