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CD
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HUBRO 2539CD
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Drummer Øyvind Skarbø's trio Bly De Blyant, comprised of the Icelandic guitarist Hilmar Jensson (TYFT, Jim Black's AlasNoAxis) and the Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily (Marc Ribot, Will Oldham, John Zorn) in addition to Skarbø, received glowing reviews for their adventurous debut album ABC (HUBRO 2523CD/3523LP). The British magazine Prog wrote: "It's a highly subtle album that denies itself nothing in terms of its sonic palette." Rock-a-Rolla described the album as "[a]n intriguing, shapeshifting collection, open-ended and saturated with potential." Hindsight Bias was recorded in the same studio with the same technician, Davide Bertolini. This time, too, the three musicians were together in the same room, without headphones, and with a wide variety of analog instruments and equipment to play around with. One important point of similarity between ABC and Hindsight Bias is the unprejudiced attitude towards mixing and drawing inspiration from different genres. The members of the trio find references everywhere, and seem capable of combining them in an entirely uninhibited manner. The main difference between the two releases lies in the material. ABC was a rather fragmented record, presenting a large number of short pieces. Many of them were based on small sketches, and a good deal of the album was improvised in the studio. Despite their broad-minded eclecticism, the band manage to maintain credibility in everything they do, whether it is prog-inspired rock, groovy, twisted instrumental soul, or disco with a banjo. This is a band that feels at home no matter which musical impulse they choose to pursue. Shahzad Ismaily (bass, Moog, organ, banjo, drum machine, voice); Hilmar Jensson (guitar, "snake" guitar, bass, piano, voice); Øyvind Skarbø (drums, percussion, voice).
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CD
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HUBRO 2523CD
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Bly de Blyant's debut album offers inspired, imaginative and rock-oriented music from a trio of improvisers that denies itself nothing. "Free improvisation is a method, not a genre," wrote drummer Øyvind Skarbø (1982, Håkon Kornstad Tenor Battle) in the cover text. "As soon as it becomes a genre, you lose all your freedom." In addition to Skarbø, the trio comprises Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily (Marc Ribot, Will Oldham, John Zorn) and Icelandic guitarist Hilmar Jensson (Tyft, Jim Black, Trevor Dunn). Skarbø had collaborated with both Jensson and Ismaily on several previous occasions, but Bly de Blyant is the first project where all three are playing together. Freedom and the desire to release control are essential elements of ABC, an album that offers music ranging from jazz, math rock and unexpected miniatures to a Prince cover. The album was recorded at Grieghallen Studio, in Skarbø's home city of Bergen, together with technician Davide Bertolini. Inspired by the old-fashioned method of recording music, they decided to place all the musicians in the same room, without headphones. "Shahzad had his corner, with a recently restored Hammond organ, an ancient Moog synth, and a beautiful Fender Precision bass from the early '70s that Davide let him borrow. Hilmar had his usual rig with a guitar and an extremely ingenious, meticulously thought-out pedal system, and I had my drums with calfskin heads and only two mikes for the whole set. So everything was touched with a little bit of nostalgia, which was more of an inspiration than a hindrance," recalls Skarbø.
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LP
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HUBRO 3523LP
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