The Orange Dots are the Norwegian duo of young drummer-vocalist Tore Ljøkelsøy and guitarist-vocalist-lyricist Thomas Bergsten. Ljøkelsøy is active in the Norwegian jazz scene leading his own quartet while Bergsten is very active in the local psych underground scene leading the bands Gunerius & Verdensveven and The Harvey Steel Show. Together as The Orange Dots they make euphoric and expressive art-punk with a free jazz flair.

The EP «Nautic Girl» is the debut album of the duo. The Orange Dots sound much noisier than just a duo of drums and guitar, with a lot to say. The opening piece, «Oh Lord Can You Show The Way», takes a familiar gospel theme into raw, psychedelic territories as if any (or goddess) god may be found in hallucinogenic substances. The following, flower-power «Change Will Come» does the same trick but with a folky-bluesy pattern, before it explodes into ecstatic, liberating chaos. «Lost A Dream» deepens the sixties, psychedelic vibe in a way that brings to mind Syd Barrett’s Pink Floyd, wrapped with heavy layers of distortion. The breezy «Born Again» suggests a healthy,  irreverent and sober perspective about life.

«Duo for Mallets & Guitar» surprises with its West-African meets Balinese cyclical, infectious percussive pulses, like Ali Farka Touré takes grunge trip. The last «Wake Up Dead With Nothing To Do» continues the African vibe, but now sounds as referencing The Ex with their Ethiopian-tinged songs, with nihilist-atmospheric psychedelic aroma. Ljøkelsøy and Bergsten know how to connect their dots and color them with bright orange colors and good fun.

Eyal Hareuveni

Tore Ljøkelsøy (dr, v), Thomas Bergsten (g, v)