Susanna And The Magical Orchestra — List Of Lights And Buoys

Sometimes I get the complaint that my reviews are always positive. Well, prepare for another one because only one month into 2004 and the first candidate for 'Album Of The Year 2004' is in. It might be a bit early, but staying on the safe side this will surely end in my top 10. I can't review everything so I rather use my time and space to inform people about the good stuff that I bought than write some bitter rant over some free promo.

Susanna Karolina Wallumrød is a young Norwegian singer and she teamed up with 'magical orchestra' Morten Qvenild (ex-Jaga Jazzist, Shining) to make a heavenly album on the ever-so-lovely label Rune Grammofon. Helge Sten (a.k.a. Deathprod, Supersilent) and Andreas Mjøs from Jaga Jazzist produced the album and the latter jumped in here and there to provide some extra sounds like the vibes in Believer, the song that was Tapper #10 that came with the magazine The Wire a few months back and Rune Grammofon's celebrational compilation Money Will Ruin Everything. If you heard the song you'll know what to expect, although that doesn't mean there are no surprises on List Of Lights And Buoys.

The music on this CD can be described as a mixture of pop, jazz and ambient. Very quiet, calm, mostly soothing but also melancholic. Susanna has a beautiful voice that even without any accompaniment would've been impressive but Morten's instrumentation is just as wonderful. Placed somewhere between the most melodic glitch of Fennesz and the broken pumporgans of Tom Waits it's amazing to hear how Leonard Bernstein's composition Who Am I after a quiet start begins to sparkle and glow. By then you know this album is onto something special. The second song is a cover again, surprisingly Dolly Parton's Jolene, a great song already, but Susanna's version amplifies the more desperate aspects of it, it makes you really feel for her. The original songs that fill the rest of the album are equally special and magical. Romantic and cute songs like Friend, the melancholic personal favourite Sweet Devil (with a wonderful arrangement) give me the shivers on several occasions. The album even reaches a complete rapture in Distance Of Theory And Blues as the electro-acoustic whirlwind completely sucks you in only to drop you back to earth in the outro Go.

Yes, I am impressed by this debut. The inventive and tasteful arrangements, the beautiful atmosphere and the wonderful voice of Susanna gave me goosebumps while listening to it. I don't dare to think what this is like live, I hope to experience it some day, though. So whaddayaknow? Five kudo's from the bottom of my heart!