 Finally we can present this longawaited treat of a concert film. The sold out concert took place in Oslo in August last year and was beautifully captured by Kim Hiorthøy and friends to 16 mm black and white film, and later edited by Hiorthøy. The sound was recorded by Athletic Sound and mixed by Helge Sten. Needless to say, it looks and sounds fantastic. The concert itself was rewarded a six out of six review at the time in Norway´s major national paper Aftenposten. You get the complete concert, 109 minutes, 6 tracks, in the same order as on the night, there are no overdubs or repairs. And there is no bonus material, not even a menu. This is a conscious decision by the director, artist and label. We wanted it to work like a cd, with instant access to the concert material and individual tracks. Both sound and picture has been coded in the best possible way. It´s a DVD-9 (as opposed to the more normal DVD-5), meaning it´s a dual layer disc with more space for information and therefore better picture quality. In addition to the standard Dolby Digital, there is also a DTS sound option for those with players equipped for this.
Yes it's the seventh and if rumours are to be believed final Supersilent album. This probably explains the grand label gesture to deliver this album on DVD, it won’t play via your CD player but if you've got your DVD player hooked up to your hi-fi you know that's the only way you'll feel the full power of this truly astonishing burnout. For this special concert all new music is delivered, part composed part improv, by Arve Henrikson (trumpet, electronics), Ståle Storløkken (keyboards, electronics), Jarle Vespestad (drums) and Deathprod aka Helge Sten on audio virus, aka knobs, slides and switches. The first two tracks alone take up 40 mins, both starting with the faint gentle flow of patient melody from either Arve's trumpet or Ståle's keyboard. Both these tracks then take an upward turn as Deathprod's noise grain lurches into the soundframe as the drums find their way through the increasingly abstract avenues of sound. The three instruemntalists sound like they are powered by the forces of nature while Deathprod unleashes the electric shocks that send the other members into ever more diverse areas of sound. The music alone in these first two tracks would finish off most bands, it's that intense, no wonder they all seem set to collapse as each performance finishes. 7.3 is a more searching modalesque composition built around Arve's rich harmonius vocalese with the airy keyboard patterns and haunting repetitive motifs before it ventures forth into the unknown. 7.4 centres around the eastern melodies from the solo trumpet, before the other members gradually enter the frame in a tranced out state - I'm tempted to compare this track to Miles's 'In A Silent Way' but considering this is Supersilent comparisons are futile. The rest of the concert continues in more astonishing fashion. The camera work is sublime as well, shot in the blackest of black and white by Kim Hiorthoy, think 'Eraserhead', the fire extinguished only after 1 hour and 48 minutes have passed. Incredible. The concert recorded 16.08.2004 at Parkteatret, Oslo. Truly shocking music from one the worlds most original bands on frightening form.
REVIEWS:
The cameras capture faces in deep consentrasion, in and out of focus before we´re back on stage. Kim Hiorthøy has found a fine visual expression for the music, which can go from massive walls of noice to careful, hymnlike singing.
Bergens Tidende (NO)
Supersilent traps jazz in a network of wires, scatters it through 21st century fiber optics, reassembles it into transnational splatter. When the machine met man, creativity was not killed in the collision, but multiplied into schizophrenia, a condition channeled and honed by the Norwegian quartet. Their improvisational process is dizzying enough to hear, but on 7 we're forced to see it too. I say forced, because there is no escaping this DVD. Through an abundance of how-are-they-doing-that moments, 7 induces participation. Though the film, an entire concert recorded in Oslo in 2005, becomes exhausting as it nears a second hour, its length should be celebrated. On 7, Supersilent further cements its reputation as the jazz band to be seen and heard by the post-everything generation.
Stylusmagazine (US)
Shot in lush black and white, there are chapter breaks for each of the six untitled compositions, but no extras, no menus, no FBI warning or any other extraneous stuff, just brilliant, insinuating, unclassifiable music for slightly over an hour. Highly, highly recommended to any adventurous ear.
Global Rhythm (US)
The foursome weave an intense head-twisting ebb and flow out of electronics, trumpet and drums with more than a touch of Miles Davis´ frenetic early 70s jams in there.
Mojo (UK) |