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Norwegian duo Ost & Kjex have come a long way from their 2004 debut album Some, but not all cheese, comes from the Moon, with their acclaimed 2010 follow-up, Cajun Lunch, and many collaborations with such high-flyers as Solomun, Jamie Jones, and H.O.S.H.; they have grown to become one of the few acts that perfectly bridges the gap between underground electronic music and indie pop music. Five years after their 2010 second album, following lots of touring and working on their signature sound, the duo decided it was time for another album. Freedom Wig is laced with contributions from their contemporaries. Anne Lise Frøkedal, Hanne Kolstø, Jens Carelius, and Jaw (of dOP fame) donate their wonderful and distinct voices to the album, jazz legend Bugge Wesseltoft adds keys, and modern composer Ole-Henrik Moe contributes string arrangements, along with the Traces Gospel choir, Nasra Ali Omar (marimba), Tore Brevik (percussion), and Arild Hammerø (guitars). They all add their flavor to an album that is rich in tradition but still distinctly modern. From the jazzy intro of "Honky Tonk," through the must-dance bassline of "ChaChaCha" and the tropical wooden xylophone sound of "Down River," to the almost spiritual hums of "Easy," this album brings such rich detail that it demands multiple listens to discover all facets of its composition. Versatility is the predominant feature of this album, which mixes Ost & Kjex's soulful vocals with an upbeat electronica sound. On their continuously evolving path, Ost & Kjex have made quite a few stops at places that might sound familiar, such as fabric (London), Panorama Bar (Berlin), Watergate (Berlin), Kater Holzig (Berlin), The Villa (Oslo), Rex Club (Paris), Badaboum (Paris), Culture Box (Copenhagen), The Cat & the Dog (Tel Aviv), Destino (Ibiza), Beachouse (Ibiza), Indigo (Istanbul), and many more. In a scene that is ever so grim, it is quite refreshing to see someone with a wink and a smile on their face, and this is what Ost & Kjex have always been about -- bridging the gap between ecstatic live performances in sweaty nightclubs and the grandeur of not taking oneself too seriously.
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