Label: Clean Feed, 2020
Personnel - Asbjorn Lerheim: baritone and electric guitars; Atle Nymo: tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Roger Arntzen: double bass; Torstein Lofthus: drums.
Norwegian quartet Chrome Hill have released six albums since its formation in 2001, with the latest being This Is Chrome Hill, a stable body of work inspired by several contrasting elements provided by the Norwegian island of Sula as well as Japan, where the group has been touring regularly. These jazz noir practitioners with openness to Americana, noise rock and other stylistic elements are Asbjorn Lerheim (the group’s sole composer) on baritone and electric guitars, Atle Nymo on tenor saxophone, Roger Arntzen on double bass and Torstein Lofthus on drums.
“Clockwork”, a mournful dirge with mysterious dark tones, exemplifies the group’s powerfully relatable music and teamwork. A pounding bass pattern joins the rattling snare drum, winding saxophone blows, electronics, and distorted guitar with clever outside inflections during the impromptu segments. On occasion, Pink Floyd’s soft psychedelia crosses my mind.
Both “10-4”, in which we find the group playing at its airiest, and the enigmatic “Limbo” give the impression that Jan Garbarek’s post-bop progressions are working together with the hooky alternative-rock obscurity of Mogwai and the film scores of Ennio Morricone. The latter piece, displaying a regular rhythmic flux in 5/4 for most of its duration, occasionally shifts into 4/4 sections. Designed with the first tempo as a reference, Nymo’s tenor solo goes from nonchalant to vibrant, benefitting from the harmonies and details of a guitar comping selective on how it sounds.
If “Ascend” is an uplifting cocktail of post-punk, indie rock and krautrock with enough margin to create melodically atop, then “Particle” is a thought-out conjunction of noise rock and free improv, whose simmering intensity is deeply grounded on jittery drumming, guitar dissonance and edgy sax lines in turmoil.
In turn, “Within” embraces an indie-pop veneer while displaying a yearning melody, while “Interlude” falls into pensive indie-folk balladry. Lerheim’s guitar filigree are central and distinct on those atmospheric worlds, resembling velvet in the latter, and employing overdrive, reverb and delay effects on the former.
“Light” closes out the journey by infusing a little more optimism in the proceedings. It feels like having a rural folk song going electric with the crying guitar.
The diverse range of moods and arrangements given by Chrome Hill has my approval.
Grade A-
Favorite Tracks:
01 - Clockwork ► 02 - Limbo ► 06 - Particle