The debut album of Norwegian, Oslo-based trumpeter blurs the sonic distinction between human breaths, trumpet sounds and weird sounds and noises produced from real-time processing of the trumpet. Holsen recorded five contemplative free improvised pieces, four of them named after minerals, at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo, all mixed and mastered by Maja S.K. Ratkje. The album is available in a limited-edition of 200 vinyl copies and in a download formats.
The pieces on the first side vary from the cold drone of the brief industrial opening of «korund»; through the multi-layered, nuanced «plagioklas», where the serene, lyrical playing of the trumpet soars over a subtle bed of noises, slowly morphing into a singing ambient tone that brings to mind the sonic territory of Arve Henriksen; to the minimalist «muskovitt» where distant solo calls of the trumpet sketch a spare narrative.
The second side begins with the long «alkali» that revolves around the sound of the trumpet, played live, processed and sustained, until all sonic reflections of the trumpet gel into a disturbingly quiet. autonomous sonic entity. The last, title-piece offer a melancholic lyrical theme that slowly surfaces and multiplied over a distant drone of subtle noises, sometimes surrendered to the noisy atmosphere but finally finds a balanced common ground..
Throughout these improvisations Holsen plays with impressive, focused command, creating a highly personal musical universe.
Eyal Hareuveni
Hilde Marie Holsen (tp, elec)
