Label: Rune Grammofon, 2021
Personnel - Hedvig Mollestad: guitar, vocals, upright piano; Karl Hjalmar Nyberg: alto saxophone; Martin Myhre Olsen: soprano, alto and baritone saxophones; Peter Erik Vergeni: tenor saxophone, flute; Marte Eberson: vibraphone, synth; Trond Frønes; bass; Ivar Loe Bjørnstad: drum set, percussion + guest Per Oddvar Johansen: drum set (#1).
Norwegian guitarist and composer Hedvig Mollestad carved out a singular spot for herself in the creative music orb. For her new outing, Tempest Revisited, she sought inspiration from the avant-garde composer Arne Nordheim and his work The Tempest while celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Parken Culture House in her hometown, Aleslund. The disc, even not as ceiling-shaking as other adventures, comprises five mesmerizing excursions where a nearly telepathic understanding is established among the musicians involved.
“Sun On a Dark Sky” opens with a feathery flute, but you can feel the storm approaching from behind. Ritualistic chants increase the sense of feverishness while a guitar ostinato gives the piece a perceptible, clearer shape. The trio of saxophonists first go for lines of tranquility until a fusion-imbued 13-beat cycle makes them insert woozy lines. An asymmetric, odd-metered cycle is also spotted on “High Hair”, a prog-rock-like exertion with reeds and guitar working in tandem and an energy that will win you over.
Mollestad was gifted with a variety of sonic palettes to choose from, and “Winds Approaching” stresses that aspect by expertly blending styles. Following the initial percussion festivities with clapping and horn chants, there’s rock muscularity stemming from the heavy guitar, and then jazzy bass lines welcoming brilliant harmonic colors. The adaptable horn players match up their textural lines, occasionally dovetailing phrases and easing off their impetus according to the mood. Besides sax and guitar, this piece features a zig-zagging synth solo.
“Kittiwakes of Gusts” results in a cool mixture of hard rock and R&B, and the feel is all groovy and burning. The group embarks on seamless modulation, interchangeable saxophone impressions that later become tangled, and searing overdrive-infused guitar. In turn, “418 (Stairs in Storms)” combines ambient awe and gutsy riffery to create contrasting tones of sheer beauty. Delivered with iron-fisted discipline and controlled power, this edgy yet accessible Tempest Revisited resounds in the listener’s head with a sense of bewilderment and exuberance.
Favorite Tracks:
01 - Sun On a Dark Sky ► 02 - Winds Approaching ►04 - 418 (Stairs in Storms)