Stein Urheim — Downhill Uplift
His style is sweetly melodic, ethereal jazz fusion and progressive rock with a classic flavor, along the lines of Allan Holdsworth. There are moments of post rock and soundtrack music inspiration as well, employing a lush, layered production style which includes mallet percussion, as well as a vast number of blended guitar tones with chorus and reverb effects.
Unlike much of the Hubro catalogue, there are vocals to be found here. The style and existential attitude is similar to 70's prog rock, and also recalls the folky bardic sections of Opeth songs, with a wistfully nostalgic tone. Urheim's skill clearly lies primarily in the guitar, and his vocal range is limited, but his voice fits the tone of the music perfectly, and I'm glad for its inclusion. It is used only sparingly, with the focus remaining on the colorful instrumental arrangements.
"Amalfitano" surprises yet again with the bold twang of its slide guitar work and latin rhythms, solidifying Urheim as a virtuoso who has copiously studied many genres and styles of playing. Urheim's love for new age and meditation music is clear at certain points as well, such as when he mutes his plucks and creates smoothly undulating tones, recalling the work of Pat Metheny, Steve Vai, or Erik Wollo, a fellow Norwegian guitarist who also played jazz fusion in the 80's before transitioning to ambient composition.
The drumming by Kåre Opheim is curiously busy and restless, and does a lot to make the pulse of the entire recording elastic. Not loud or bombastic by any means, there is a cascade of constant subtle taps and fills, a sketching of implied rhythms.
As a whole, the experience of the album is warm, colorful and welcoming, a midpaced groove that carries us ever closer to acceptance and understanding in the zen sense. Urheim has devoted his precision and technical mastery to spirit soothing psychedelic ends, and for all its multi-genre experimentation this is a psychedelic rock album at heart, a pleasant wash of colors in honor of the essence of altruism. The cover art of a lone man paddling a rowboat in the dark is poetic and apt.
Stein Urheim's Downhill Uplift is one of the most melodically rich, colorful and satisfying albums in the wonderful Hubro catalogue. It brings together all the musicianship and variety of vintage prog rock and electric jazz, with a soulful fluency and natural effortlessness one would typically associate with less technical music. I will undoubtedly be listening to his other recordings, and eager to repeat the experience of this album as well.