The debut album of Norwegian guitarist Jo David Meyer Lysne (born in 1994), together with double bass player and teacher-mentor Mats Eilertsen, is about the infinite timbres of wooden instruments. At the same time «Meander» is inspired by the mountainous Nordic landscape surrounding Filefjell, in the southern-western part of Norway. The quiet, acoustic compositions of «Meander» were first conceived at Meyer Lysne’s grandfather’s cabin in this beautiful region, located between two flowing rivers. Later «Meander» was captured in Oslo’s legendary Rainbow Studio by Jan Erik Kongshaug on June 2017.
Meyer Lysne has fond memories from Filefjell, where his grandfather shared his building skills with the young Meyer Lysne at his remote cabin. Meyer Lysne has used the cabin as well as the building-rebuilding processes to explore and generate new tunings and timbres from the guitar that later transformed into his compositions. «I’m searching for ways to make an illusion of the sound of the guitar that is bigger than it is, or that it might sound like a totally different instrument», he says.
The collaboration with Eilertsen has developed organically over the last year. Meyer Lysne and Eilertsen played a duo concert last spring, and in last October recorded one of Meyer Lysne songs and a free improvisation at the Rainbow Studio. Then Lysne Meyer wrote more songs and the «Meander» was recorded in one day at the Rainbow Studio. Half the pieces – «Sluten», where Meyer Lysne’s grandfather’s cabin is located, the title-piece, «Svømmer Over», «Duolian» and «Meso» follow lyrical, melodic veins that may be associated with traditional duos of this format. These pieces have clear, story-like structure. Other pieces offer concise but highly nuanced, cinematic soundscapes, but with a unique, enigmatic dramaturgical structure. «Åpning» even introduces some mysterious, far-Eastern colors and timbres. Together, these pieces suggest an emotional and colorful story about a mysterious and an inspiring region.
Eyal Hareuveni
Jo David Meyer Lysne (g, effects), Mats Eilertsen (b, effects)
