Ancienne Belgique

THE LOW FREQUENCY IN STEREO + THE MEGAPHONIC THRIFT + STEN OVE TOFT + SILJE NES + TIGER RECORDS (POP-UP MUSIC STORE)7:00 pm - Sten Ove ToftTogether with Lasse Marhaug (Jazkamer), Sten Ove Toft is one ...

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THE LOW FREQUENCY IN STEREO + THE MEGAPHONIC THRIFT + STEN OVE TOFT + SILJE NES + TIGER RECORDS (POP-UP MUSIC STORE)

7:00 pm - Sten Ove Toft
Together with Lasse Marhaug (Jazkamer), Sten Ove Toft is one of our favourite Norwegian noisemakers. This guitarist/noisemaker also appears in the drone-metal band Altaar (that previously worked together with Sunn 0))) ), as extra guest-member with The Megaphonic Thrift, and as half of noise duo Ryfylke. For several years now Toft has also been running noise/electronica label Roggbif Records – which can already account for about 30 releases from the likes of Lasse Marhaug, Altaar, Monolithic, The Skull Defects, as well as own work. He released his dark solo-album ‘Lit De Parade’ (brimming with unadulterated minimal noise) on the label. A webzine wrote of it: “’Lit de Parade’ is a pulsating piece of music, sublime in its approach to noise.” Not for weaklings.

Silje Nes
Silje Nes is a Norwegian multi-instrumentalist annex singer-songwriter who grew up in the small town of Leikanger on the Sognefjord (the longest fjord in Norway). Via a stopover in Bergen, she's been living in Berlin for the last few years. Silje has already released two albums via the English indie-label Fat Cat (that also released Sigur Rós' ‘ágætis byrjun’). Debut ‘Ames Room’ (from ’08) was described by leading mag Mojo as "enchanting... one to lose yourself in time and time again". Comparisons with Japanese laptop-artist Tujiko Noriko, Iceland's Múm, Sweden's Stina Nordenstam and fellow-countrywoman Hanne Hukkelberg are legion. Just recently released successor ‘Opticks’  - recorded with the assistance of the likes of Ronald Lippok (To Rococo Rot/Tarwater) – again contains stunning dream-pop from a parallel universe.

The Megaphonic Thrift
Discovered at the yearly showcase-festival by:Larm in Oslo earlier this year and immediately approved of. We wrote at the time: “The revelation at by:Larm! Their set left a memorable impression. Agreed: the band is seriously indebted to Sonic Youth. More even: with closed eyes you would even seem to be experiencing Sonic Youth live. But this band is so energetic that it knocks your socks off, right from the start.” The quartet from Bergen is at the same time related to The Low Frequency In Stereo (with whom they share guitarist Njål Clementsen and bassist-singer Linn Frøkedal) and also to electro-pop band Casiokids. After the EP from ’09 (‘A Thousand Years of Deconstruction’), this year they release their full debut ‘Decay Decoy’. Their first Belgian visit to Trix in Antwerp certainly didn't go unnoticed. Focus Knack wrote of it:“Our eyes watered from a set that was as tight as it was scorching. … There's no concrete on earth that can match this tornado of sound. … Bassist Frøkedal manifested herself vocally as the most convincing Kim Gordon we'd ever heard outside the Sonic Youth context. … A storm of screeching noise and a ritual instrumental thrashing. Magnificent.”

The Low Frequency in Stereo
The Low Frequency in Stereo was established in 2001 in Haugesund, on the west coast of Norway. They started out as an instrumental lo-fi post-rock band and were described by Pitchfork at the time as ‘Psych-Garage Dronemeisters’. Their previous album from ’06 was even nominated for a Norwegian Grammy in the category ‘best rock album’. Their latest album ‘Futuro’ was released on the classy Rune Grammofon label, which now describes them as “a fresh sounding rock ensemble with great songs and a mix of dark atmospheres and catchy choruses.”  Just this once we'll allow them to finish it all off nicely in their own words: “There are nods to fellow Norwegians 120 Days as well as Stereolab, Can, Doors, Joy Divison and even B-52´s, but first of all this is a group that with their fourth album have perfected their own sound.”

Tiger Records : Pop-Up Music Store
Independent record store Tiger Records will install a one-day pop-up store in AB especially for Norway Now. Tiger Records is our favourite place to hang out when we're in the Norwegian capital and want to nurture ourselves with cross-grained music. This indie shop has been around since ’96 and proves that the underground and DIY-culture is still alive and kicking. Tiger Records has also been running its own label since '08: Fysisk Format.
This is something for those wanting to complete their Rune Grammofon collection, want to stock up on exclusive Motorpyscho singles, are wondering if noise artist Jazkamer really did release a record every month in 2010 or for those who want to fully explore the relatively new Pica Disk label.