ILK164CD
Ð ÒSugarghost Ð Balls & BalloonsÓ.
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Pressrelease for publication April 2010. |
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Contact: Joakim Fr¿ystein Ð phone: +47 46780734 Ð
email: mail@sugarghost.net |
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Katalognr: ILK164CDArtist:
Sugarghost Title:
Balls & Balloons WEB: www.ilkmusic.com PhysicalDistribution:
VME Digital Distribution:
Orchard |
Joakim Fr¿ystein, releases the CD ÒSugarghost
Ð Balls & BalloonsÓ on Copenhagen label ILK, april 19th 2010. This is
a follow up to his first solo-album ÒSugarghost Ð Sweet SecretsÓ which was
nominated for Danish Music Awards in the categories ÒNew Name of the YearÓ
and ÒBest Crossover Jazz ReleaseÓ, in 2006. ÒSugarghost Ð Balls &
BalloonsÓ is a dynamic and powerful mix of electronica, songwriting and
instrumentals with a strong personal signature. Joakim Fr¿ystein continues
his approach of Òhigh-tech meets fearless intuition in the electronic sphere,
where tones pulverize and sounds are remelted.Ó, a recipe which has led to
performances in the USA as well as major Scandinavian music festivals such as
CPH-jazzfestival (DK) Nordberg Festival (SE) and Numusic (N). The eight tracks on ÒBalls
& BalloonsÓ, his second solo-release, reveal an evolved symbiosis between
Ówild seed electronicsÓ and a variety of acoustic and electric instruments.
Samples of lost and found sounds melt together with acoustic lap-steel, bass
clarinet and drums, while improvised passages are warped into beats, ambient
textures and backgrounds for catchy songs. Some of it has a hint of club to
it, but with curling bass lines and elastic melodies. Other passages display
fragments of country music and free jazz, as well as static minimal loops
reminiscent of his friends from Berlin label Scape~, Jan Jelinek and Pole, a
label that Fr¿ystein was in fact working with during the years with ÒAugust
Engkilde presents EPOÓ. Additional musicians on the
record are Anders Banke on bass clarinet and flute & Emil de Waal on
drums and electronics, who have both been part of the extended live act since
2006. On ÒBalls & BalloonsÓ
Fr¿ystein uses voice, guitar. laptop, mandolin, electric bass, analog synth,
percussion, beatprogramming, homemade instruments and samples. His favourite
instruments and sounds are found in flea markets or other alternative places.
In this way he almost feels like if it was the instruments destiny was to
fall into his hands. Their unique and often unknown story become part of the
story he is telling and this way creating a sum greater than it«s parts.
Certain sounds are found in objects that were not even made with the purpose
of generating sound. Discarded spring feathers, aluminum ash trays from his
grandparents closed down gas station, bouncing balls on his guitar and
fingers rubbing on balloons. The sonic properties of the objects were merely
a Òside effectÓ Fr¿ystein says, and continues: ÒAll things have a frequency
at which they resonate. This is
something that industries spend a lot of money to avoid. When I create music
I want to encourage it, and push it to its limits. Although I try to go new
ways, I usually find that most of it had already been done in the 60-ies Ó The lyrics in the vocal tracks
are floating between abstractly poetic and romantically naive observations on
life in general. Fr¿ystein insists on using his voice. He considers it the
most personal tool of expression and communication. ÒThe human ear is tuned
to hearing human voices. When we hear a speaking or singing voice, it catches
our attention immediately. I started out writing songs and it has been part
of my musical life always, even though I have explored many different ways of
composing music. I can«t help it, it«s like the hairs growing out of my ears
and my nose. I can cut it with a pair of scissors or pull them out, but they
just keep coming!Ó The coverdesign by the danish
designer karmakoen.dk is a unique and subtle arrangement made out of
childrens drawings. As with the cover on ÒSugarghost Ð Sweet SecretsÓ, the
cover graphics is based on material from Fr¿ysteins personal-life, but in
stead of an old chair inherited from his grandmother and via his parents,
this cover has drawings made by his children. The cover not only communicates
the playful experimentality put into a professional context which is inherent
in the music, but also documents a certain moment in an ongoing development
for both Joakim Fr¿ystein and his children. Joakim Fr¿ystein was born 1977
in Oslo, Norway, and grew up being exposed to a vital and diverse music-scene
ranging from pop/rock to avant-garde to Norwegian folk and electronic club
music. In 1999 he moved to Copenhagen, Denmark, to study at ÒRhythmic Music
ConservatoryÓ where he got involved in a number of musical projects, some of
them can be found in his discography. After nine years in DK he decided to
move back to his hometown, after having contributed on a number of releases
and tours in Europe and the U.S. In addition to his solo act Sugarghost, he
has worked with a.o. Jogujo Circuit, August Engkilde presents EPO (Scape~),
Sidiki Camara (Percussion pioneer from Mali, know from a.o. Bill Frisells
Intercontinentals.) and Aida Nadeem (Iraqi singer who received BBC«s Award
for worldmusic «07 in the category Culture Crossing). He has performed in
festivals and clubs sharing stage with names such as Jan Jelinek, Fennesz,
Rumpistol, Tys Tys, Casio Tone For the Painfully Alone a.o. Fr¿ystein is a member of
recording collective ILK, in Copenhagen and has composed and performed music
for poetry, theatre, performance-art, film and modern dance. In 2009
Fr¿ystein received the prestigous ÒArtist Grant for Young Popular Music ComposersÓ granted from Arts
Council Norway. |