120 Days: back in the states
Norway’s most cutting edge act for the moment heads out on an extensive tour of North America.
Since their international signing with Vice Records of New York, it’s America that has been the primary target for Norwegian electro rockers 120 Days. And tonight they embark on an extensive tour of the continent, starting with a Canadian week. The inaugural show is at Montreal’s Mile end cultural centre, while the terminus of the tour is Georgia and The Loft in Atlanta on April 10th. In the meantime they will have visited both coasts and played SXSW in Texas.
Things are very hectic for the young mercurial Norwegians and their cosmic music machine these days, to the extent that they themselves are unable to keep track. After shows back home in mid Feb. they have played some important gigs in London, among them the NME show at the London Astoria on the 26th and the Smalltown Supersound night–their Norwegian Label- at White Heat where they were joined by a label colleague, the legendary electro-sage Bjørn Torske.
Another, more important in-label development of recent is that Lindstrøm, that elusive guru of planetary disco, will produce the 120 Days’ sophomore album. The parties have already had a go in the studio; at fashioning some new cosmic jams, and the joint venture should be fruitful. Pitchfork media calls it “a Norwegian affair”; in 2007 this is an indication of cutting edge music, we must remember: 120 days and Lindstrøm are but two of a plethora of Norwegian names that dominate, one can argue –bearing in mind the size of the Norwegian home market- influential circuits and forums of pop music.
After their five weeks in America del Norte it is Europe’s turn for 120 Days. April sees them back and forth over the domestic continent, and not until May is there any blankness of horizon in sight for the rock electronaughts. Not even then, perhaps, now that the plans for the new record are coming together. As they have said repeatedly: “We’re beat, exhausted, unable to keep track, but that’s how it’s supposed to be”.
Headlines:
Himmelkvad
Celebrated vocal ensemble Nordic Voices is currently out on its promo tour for their new outing ‘Himmelkvad’, a critically acclaimed album presenting Norwegian composer Lasse Thoresen’s unique vocal universe. MIC Norway takes a closer look at the cutting-edge vocal ensemble and ground-breaking composer.
I was the devil in my younger years
Late Feb sees Enslaved heading out on a month-long European tour. MIC Norway hooked up with Enslaved’s Ivar Peersen to talk about musical cross pollination, inspirational sources, humour and his fascination for singer-songwriter Stein Torleif Bjella.
