Arve Henriksen — Strjon

Strjon is Arve Henriksen third album that once more finds him mixing his talented and creative trumpet playing with electronics and other instrumentation. To create a textural and emotional varied collection of tracks, which are tuneful and inviting but also dark, textured and experimental.

There’s much to like here as Henriksen takes his playing and composition through some interesting twist and turns, not just sticking to trumpets most connected genre jazz, sprout out all over the place with creative musical genre mixing. On the second track  Black mountain he pumps out grim almost black metal in sprit dirges, that has dark heart soaring undertones like Popol Vuh turned to the darkside. Twin Lake finds sinister toy piano tinkling and organ dwellings with his trumpet sail above like a lost tired emotional voice.

Glacier descent  is a spiritual dense expanse of didgeridoo like throb, raised choir voices and exquisite trumpets warm dawn voice singing sweetly over the top, it feel like the glorious dawning of a new world. Ascent finds him tying his trumpet to growing spring wonder ambient dwell, tolling vibe tones and an almost Autechre like alien shifting electro haze.  Heriksen like the best trumpet players has brought a really emotional almost voice like depth and understanding to his instrument. Never over using his talent he let’s the other elements shine bright too; only adding his rich tones when it feels just right.

A wonderfully rewarding album that hoovers in the bleakest forest where little light enters, to soaring spiritual high and mystical over haunted endless plans. Balancing perfectly experimental and textural ear, with emotional and tuneful wonder that seems so effortless.