Norwegian
Kim Hiorthøy is the multi-talented, Berlin based creator
of the acclaimed `Hei' album released in 2001. Since then, Hiorthøy
has been rather busy touring the globe and releasing numerous
EP's, 12"'s and a live album. `My Last Day' is his latest
full length release and is the result of 2 years `on-and-off'
work which Hiorthøy has juggled with a number of other
artistic endeavours including graphic design, writing and photography.
Hiorthøy
specialises in the ever burgeoning genre of `instrumental folktronica'
which is occupied by luminaries such as Four Tet and Matthew Herbert.
The way Hiorthøy approaches his music is in an innovative
and somewhat unique methodology which borrows from a range of
other sub-genres including folk, jazz, lo-fi/leftfield electronics,
acid, hip-hop, field recordings and samples. He utilises an MPC
sampler to make it all work and the result is a focused and flowing
mishmash of ideas. Hiorthøy manages this by employing an
extremely melodic, playful and intricately arranged approach which
is topped off by an evident Norweigian Icey-cool.
On `My Last
Day' we find catchy acoustic and synth-driven melodies, impeccably
crafted sliced-and-diced electronica, raw and progressive hip-hop
beats and vintage Jazz. Hiorthøy adorns this soundscape
with a host of tightly arranged random sounds ranging from sampled
voices to bashing crockery. The result is frighteningly infectious
as melody is placed at the forefront rather than being hidden
amongst the elements.
Tracks on
`My Last Day' are diverse and include icy and organic upbeat stompers
like `I Thought We Could Eat Friends', high octane techno-fied
soundscapes of tracks like `Alt Går Så Langsmot',
the processed vintage jazz of `Goodbye to Song' and the darker,
glimmering piano-heavy sounds of `Beats Mistake', `Den Langa...'
and the sublime `Wind of Failure' which eerily recall the Donnie
Darko score if composed by Boards of Canada.
One of the
stand outs from `My Last Day' is the 8 minute `Skuggen'. Hiorthøy
utilises a beautiful piano melody which meanders throughout and
drips in cinematic melancholy. Wafts of electronic tinkling garnish
the soundscape which is made more energetic due to the well arranged
beat structure which sees Hip-Hop beats and Jazz-based percussion
flow in harmony. Hiorthøy creates space by breaking up
the track through allowing each element (piano, drums, electronica)
to take to the fore and this makes 8 minutes pass away in no time
at all.
Overall, `My
Last Day' is an extremely engaging and playful exercise in combining
the acoustic with electronic so that they become part of one sound.
Furthermore, the complex and intricate arrangements inject longevity
and give the album a real sense. The release serves as an engaging
testament to Hiorthøy's position as one of the leaders
in the `instrumental folktronica' scene.
For
fans of: Herbaliser, Plaid, Four Tet, Boards of Canada, Matthew
Herbert
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