Kaldestad is the trio of vocalist-lyricist, harmonium player and percussionist Gyrid Nordal Kaldestad, known for her work with electroacoustic music and live electronics; hardanger fiddler Anne Hytta, known from the trio Slagr and her solo project Draumsyn, and guitarist Are Lothe Kolbeinsen, member of the jazz trio Parallax. The trio debut album, recorded live at the Tøyen Church in Oslo on February 2016, offer a new aesthetics, different in spirit from previous experiences of these three musicians.

Kaldestad composed contemplative, dreamy ballads that blossom patiently, capturing the spirit of Nordic chilly-melancholic winter sceneries. The fragile, warm delivery of her vocals is embraced gently by Hytta intricate bowing and her ethereal hardanger overtones and the delicate guitar work of Kolbeinsen, including his extended techniques that enhance the guitar tonal palette. The trio interplay is natural, emphatic and beautifully balanced.

These simple, poetic songs convey an immediate emotional impact with their touching innocence and reserved joy. Songs like «Du visste», «Smilet» linger on in your memory long after they end. On the title song Kaldestad adds to the trio sonic arsenal the African thumb-piano, kalimba, in a manner that suggests a hypnotic-meditative narrative. «Trøyst» is the most exceptional song, developed by Hytta and Kolbeinsen commanding bowing work as an abstract Indian early morning raga that stresses the fragile quality of Kaldestad vocals.  

Eyal Hareuveni  

Gyrid Nordal Kaldestad (v, harm, perc), Anne Hytta (hardanger violin); Are Lothe Kolbeinsen (g)