Sofus
Forsberg
"NO/1" CD
Jenka
Music
Genres: electronica, electro-pop, clicks and cuts
Jenka Music
Fælledvej 3
2200 cph n
Denmark
Aug 18 - 24 2003 |
Electronica
is a genre that's tough to do well. To keep electronic music
interesting for an entire album requires a lot of talent. Even the
best artists, Aphex Twin and Autechre inclusive, have
seen times of drollness and boredom. With that said, Sofus Forsberg's
NO/1 proves that, at least for this album, he's managed to keep things
consistently entertaining.
NO/1 opens with five instrumental tracks that are really
pleasant, taking clicks and cuts to a new level of accessibility.
Everything is so clean and cutting-edge; the beats slide with a slight
level of hidden funk, and the gliding synths and saxophone build
atmosphere as well as melody. But even the juicy "Igen...",
the beepy "Everything is Good" and the Boards of Canada-esque
"Autotune Track" can't prepare you for the latter half of NO/1.
"So Alone" is track number six on the disc, and as soon
as Henriette Sennenvaldt's vocals come in, you become instantly
aware that you're in for a treat. Her Bjork-esque, breathy
voice is stunningly beautiful; it is complexly strewn out over Forsberg's
electronic masterwork. Mercilessly, it's cut up and weaved through
beats and synths; as the track progresses, her voice becomes more and
more manipulated and dissected. "Atlantisk," meanwhile, is
an endearing sax and voice duet set over Forsberg's signature
beats. It's very classy, like what you may hear at an electronic jazz
club from another planet. "Convertible Love," meanwhile, is
better than most Bjork tracks, with Forsberg's focus
being directed at both melody and impeccable atmosphere; it comes off
as more experimental than most of the Icelandic diva's work.
This is one of the better electronic releases of this year. Sofus
Forsberg is on the way to becoming a household name. I cannot wait
to discover what his next release will sound like.
90%
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 11 tracks, distributed by the
label, released 2003] |