Rune Larsen & Adam Nordin - Northern Lights Blues

PM Jönsson, Lira

Unique is in fact stupid to use in reviews. Almost all records are unique. In spite of obvious influences, genre, and so on. However, it is very seldom one hear music which doesn't sound as anything else.
Northern Light Blues is such a record.

I know nothing about the two Norwegian musicians Rune Larsen (accordion) and Adam Nordin (violin).
However, Ayler Records has released a record before with Rune Larsen, a duo recording with the saxophonist Luther Thomas, "Busking In Christiania"

Four long tracks, recorded In Tromsö, Norway, in August and September 2006.
The starter "Tromsö blues" has improvised vocals in English; wild scat song and some words that one wants syrup… Crazy, sure, humour pops up here and there. A badly needed contrast to many thick, dizzy sections when they twist and turn and totally unconditionally play their instruments.

After this follows two traditional songs "Per Spelman" and "Old Woman With Stick" - with folk music in focus. The first starts with Nordin's violin who repeats a melody which comes back some times and is stretched with minimalist, slow sections, bold hearted eruptions and expressive, atonal curves.

The Woman song has even more capers, mandolin playing by Nordin, playful excursions, and speedy swing where the violin and the accordion melt together.

The finishing over 20 minutes long "Happening" is more tight together and where Nordin is in the centre and with drone like lines, eastern sound-islands, and a couple of sections when he treats the violin violent, ends up in a stamping carousel party.

Experimental folk music. With punk feeling. Gloriously unpredictable.