Monday, November 29, 2010
Back from Norway!
Now I'm already back in Vienna for a bit more than a week after a couple of wonderful days in Norway. It was so much better than I could have ever expected. I was in Oslo and in Fredrikstad.
Oslo is a great city to spend some time in. I saw all the sights I wanted to see like the opera house, the city hall, the harbor, Aker Brygge, the royal castle and Karl Johans Gate. I liked Aker Brygge in particular with its wooden panels as flooring. I was walking (and jumping) up and down on them just because I liked the sound so much the wooden panels made. I guess, people thought I was weird. And they had so many nice little restaurants - people would sit outside even if it's freaking cold. The place there is rustic and romantic at the same time. Water was around me all the time and I met so many cute seagulls - gave them all names: Kjell, Thor, Trygvald, Kåre, Anders, Kjetil, Magnus, Bård, .... after a while I run out of names so I called them Kjell II, Thor II, Trygvald II, Bjørn, Blomst, Fugl, Ikkemat.
BTW: Do your animals in Norway speak Norwegian?! I'm not sure cause I met many seagulls, police-horses and ducks and I was like: "Hei du!! Hva heter du? Jeg heter Marion. Du er søt. Vil du ikke komme med meg?" - AND NO REACTION AT ALL!!
Oslo is a great city to spend some time in. I saw all the sights I wanted to see like the opera house, the city hall, the harbor, Aker Brygge, the royal castle and Karl Johans Gate. I liked Aker Brygge in particular with its wooden panels as flooring. I was walking (and jumping) up and down on them just because I liked the sound so much the wooden panels made. I guess, people thought I was weird. And they had so many nice little restaurants - people would sit outside even if it's freaking cold. The place there is rustic and romantic at the same time. Water was around me all the time and I met so many cute seagulls - gave them all names: Kjell, Thor, Trygvald, Kåre, Anders, Kjetil, Magnus, Bård, .... after a while I run out of names so I called them Kjell II, Thor II, Trygvald II, Bjørn, Blomst, Fugl, Ikkemat.
BTW: Do your animals in Norway speak Norwegian?! I'm not sure cause I met many seagulls, police-horses and ducks and I was like: "Hei du!! Hva heter du? Jeg heter Marion. Du er søt. Vil du ikke komme med meg?" - AND NO REACTION AT ALL!!
Aker Brygge
One of the best evenings in 2010 I had when I went to the Thelma & Clyde album release gig on 13th of November at Blå. The show was mindblowing. The music, the costumes, the video visuals in the background, the way they moved to the music. And I think I'm in love with those disco ball tiles they glued on their hoodies.
I also bought their album White Line there (of course I did!!) - and I love it, listening to it non stop now for a couple of days.
But the whole night was great because I met so many nice and interesting people - which was really inspiring!! Jan (and his wife) from Karmakosmetix Records, Hanne and Trygve of Thelma & Clyde, Gunnar who plays drums in several bands I like, the famous Ronny who is a restless multitalent, Morten the very cool bass player and owner of his own record studio in Kristiansand. All of them great people! And both, Trygve and Gunnar gave me a beer each. :D
But seriously, I gotta practice on my pick-up phrases next time I come to Norway. ;)
sculpture by G. Vigeland
I loved the Frognerpark/Vigelandpark with all the sculptures. I must have spent almost three hours there studying every sculpture. It was very quiet there. Not many people. I should probably mention that the weather was not too good. Cloudy and cold and temperatures around zero degrees (we had around +18° when I left Vienna). But the fact that not many people where there made me enjoy that place a lot. I was very relaxed. And in the end I got some sunshine. Fantastic day!
very peaceful day in Frognerpark
another sculpture by Vigeland
There is much to see in Oslo. Many cute hidden places to discover. And shopping?! Shopping might be expensive but who wouldn't pay almost any price for something you desired for such a long time?! Means of course I went shopping to Platekompaniet!! Heaven on earth for me. I saw so many records of all the artists/bands I love. I bought myself then four CD's: Bird Cherry Grove by Anne Lene Hägglund, Earthly Things by Eliksir, Floriography by Moddi and You Are The Night by Grande!!
Speaking of shopping. I probably found the most awesome product I had ever seen: LICORICE FLAVOURED CHEWING GUM!! I had sparkles in my eyes when I foud it. "I AM MOVING TO NORWAY FOR GOOD" - I said over and over again. Austria is more or less a licorice-free country - so hard to get good stuff here. And for someone addicted to licorice like me this is one of the greatest inventions ever.
old town of Fredrikstad
Fredrikstad is a nice, little and quiet place. I visited a friend of mine there who lives just next to the water. And let me tell you, seeing the sun glittering on the water is not the worst thing to wake up with. And I had fish for breakfast. It was some kind of marinated fish - tasted sweet and salty. Funny combination but veeeeery delicious (another reason for moving, if you ask me).
The old town of Fredrikstad is kinda cute. You find all those red wooden houses there you usually see on postcards.
Norway was so nice to me. I've never been that relaxed and never felt so much like home. I do miss Norway already. And all my friends there. The friendliness of the people, the licorice flavoured chewing gum, my new seagull-friends, Oslo, Fredrikstad - I miss all that and I want to come back as soon as possible.
sunset in Fredrikstad
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Thelma & Clyde - White Line
"When you walk, I'm right behind you; Don't know what I'm getting into" - It's a line of Ice, I'm quoting here. The first track on Thelma & Clyde's recently released album White Line. When you listen to the songs you can try to catch every soundsample, can try to catch the sense of the lyrics and you will get close to its meaning. But still... you won't know what you're getting into.
There is probably no other Norwegian electronica duo that has aroused as much interest as Thelma & Clyde during the last weeks. Now their debutalbum was just released and more and more people get soaked into this whole new universe. The duo, consisting of Hanne Kolstø and Trygve Tambs-Lyche, clearly differs from other electronica/electropop constellations and come up with their very own sound and style using elements from trip-hop, rock and hip-hop.
They create a gloomy and mysterious atmosphere with their songs. And you will notice that within the first 3:46 minutes of the album. The lyrics of Ice are well thought-out, the samples and programming elaborated to perfection. At this point should be mentioned that the album was mixed by the renowned producer duo Jan Bang and Erik Honoré (except for track no. 3 which was mixed by Thor Kvande) who took all the good material that has been recorded with Thelma & Clyde and transformed it into something stunningly great. And that kind of perfection can be heard on every track.
If you had known Thelma & Clyde before; if you already know the tracks they had on their EP you might feel a little overload in all the electronics, samples and synths for a moment but then you get carried away by the very powerful tracks Lockstitch, Hibernation and Crosscheck (featuring a rap by Salvador Sanchez known from Darkside Of The Force). Just go with the flow and the beats! ;)
Worth mentioning is also their first music video to Lockstitch. Directed by Per Sveinung Larsen. Great atmosphere in the video and suiting well to the song.
I absolutely recommend to listen to the whole album twice or more before you judge it. It grows! Take your time, lock yourself in a room, close the shutters in front of your windows and simply concentrate on the music, on Hanne's voice and the lyrics. Seperate the beats from the samples; the percussion from the synths; the keys from the bass. Enjoy every bit of it and the whole mix. It is worth it.
White Line comes with great lyrics. Some will make you shiver others will make you sing along. Some lines you won't be able to get out of your head again. "Big surprise; You were made out of worries and lies" - Bubble, Ice, Wicker, Sleep Slow - strong lyrics that will make you ponder for a while. In any case do the lyrics suit to Thelma & Clyde's style.
Also their live shows shouldn't be missed. A great example is the live video of Elusive Girl that can be watched on YouTube. The live shows are arranged in details: Matching tracksuits with glass tiles on the hoodies, lots of choreography and dancing, video visuals in the background, Hanne's pink wig, Trygve's glass-tile-glasses....
On White Line you get 11 electronica-tracks that will make you want to hear more of Thelma & Clyde. You will dance along, sing along.... and if you feel the urge to buy a pink wig or to smash a disco ball to glue its tiles on a black hoodie of yours - that's normal. By the way, the record is also available on vinyl for the special audio experience.
Thelma & Clyde's debut album White Line was released on the 8th of November 2010 with Karmakosmetix Records. All songs can be bought on iTunes.
There is probably no other Norwegian electronica duo that has aroused as much interest as Thelma & Clyde during the last weeks. Now their debutalbum was just released and more and more people get soaked into this whole new universe. The duo, consisting of Hanne Kolstø and Trygve Tambs-Lyche, clearly differs from other electronica/electropop constellations and come up with their very own sound and style using elements from trip-hop, rock and hip-hop.
Photo by Per Sveinung Larsen
They create a gloomy and mysterious atmosphere with their songs. And you will notice that within the first 3:46 minutes of the album. The lyrics of Ice are well thought-out, the samples and programming elaborated to perfection. At this point should be mentioned that the album was mixed by the renowned producer duo Jan Bang and Erik Honoré (except for track no. 3 which was mixed by Thor Kvande) who took all the good material that has been recorded with Thelma & Clyde and transformed it into something stunningly great. And that kind of perfection can be heard on every track.
If you had known Thelma & Clyde before; if you already know the tracks they had on their EP you might feel a little overload in all the electronics, samples and synths for a moment but then you get carried away by the very powerful tracks Lockstitch, Hibernation and Crosscheck (featuring a rap by Salvador Sanchez known from Darkside Of The Force). Just go with the flow and the beats! ;)
Worth mentioning is also their first music video to Lockstitch. Directed by Per Sveinung Larsen. Great atmosphere in the video and suiting well to the song.
I absolutely recommend to listen to the whole album twice or more before you judge it. It grows! Take your time, lock yourself in a room, close the shutters in front of your windows and simply concentrate on the music, on Hanne's voice and the lyrics. Seperate the beats from the samples; the percussion from the synths; the keys from the bass. Enjoy every bit of it and the whole mix. It is worth it.
White Line comes with great lyrics. Some will make you shiver others will make you sing along. Some lines you won't be able to get out of your head again. "Big surprise; You were made out of worries and lies" - Bubble, Ice, Wicker, Sleep Slow - strong lyrics that will make you ponder for a while. In any case do the lyrics suit to Thelma & Clyde's style.
Also their live shows shouldn't be missed. A great example is the live video of Elusive Girl that can be watched on YouTube. The live shows are arranged in details: Matching tracksuits with glass tiles on the hoodies, lots of choreography and dancing, video visuals in the background, Hanne's pink wig, Trygve's glass-tile-glasses....
On White Line you get 11 electronica-tracks that will make you want to hear more of Thelma & Clyde. You will dance along, sing along.... and if you feel the urge to buy a pink wig or to smash a disco ball to glue its tiles on a black hoodie of yours - that's normal. By the way, the record is also available on vinyl for the special audio experience.
Thelma & Clyde's debut album White Line was released on the 8th of November 2010 with Karmakosmetix Records. All songs can be bought on iTunes.
Album cover by Per Sveinung Larsen
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Elusive Girl
A bit of a foretaste of what I can expect on the upcoming Saturday.
Thelma and Clyde performing a song of their recently released album "White Line" at Sørlandets Kunstmuseum in Kristiansand. Visually and acoustically a top act.
Their next gig is this Saturday at Blå in Oslo, Norway. Be there!!!
Thelma and Clyde performing a song of their recently released album "White Line" at Sørlandets Kunstmuseum in Kristiansand. Visually and acoustically a top act.
Their next gig is this Saturday at Blå in Oslo, Norway. Be there!!!
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