RUNE GRAMMOFON presents PUMA + PHONOPHANI w/ SIGBJØRN APELAND + STIAN WESTERHUS

Rune Grammofon – based in Oslo and established in 1998 – is now onto its 100th release (with the latest one, a collector: ‘Twenty Centuries Of Stony Sleep’). Founding father Rune Kristoffersen was once bassist to new wave/synthpop band Fra Lippo Lippi (remember the hit ‘Shouldn’t Have To be Like That’ from ‘86) and also made albums under the moniker Monolight. Rune Grammofon houses the most idiosyncratic, adventurous and creative Norwegian performers, those for whom musical borders are non-existent.
Rune: “Our aim is to put love and care into each release, giving it the best possible design and packaging. No plastic, ever. All releases come in the digipak format with exclusive design”. That design is from the hand of Norwegian graphic designer, filmmaker, illustrator and musician Kim Hiorthøy.

Be sure to check out the Rune Grammofon expo that runs from 1 December to 31 December in the AB Café/Resto (Steenstraat 23) and also in La Vitrine (Ou)verte (Steenstraat 26).

The label navigates musically between free jazz, experimental electronica and improv. The most well-known bands include Supersilent, Motorpsycho, Susanna (And The Magical Orchestra), Shining, The Low Frequency In Stereo… AB will focus on the label's latest releases during this Rune Grammofon evening, releases that can quite simply be called impressive, with …

8:00 pm - Stian Westerhus
Stian Westerhus is quite simply one of the most talented guitarists of the Norwegian experimental music scene. He's the originator of the trio PUMA, half of the noise/metal project MONOLITHIC (with Motorpsycho drummer Kenneth Kapstad), he was once a part-time member of JAGA JAZZIST (and played with them on their latest album ‘One-Armed Bandit’) and is currently a member of Nils Petter Molvær´s new trio. Aside from a vinyl only release (‘Galore’), he now debuts on Rune Grammofon with the much acclaimed ‘Pitch Black Star Spangled’ . The Wire wrote of it: “as intricately baffling as anything by Autechre”.

9:00 pm - Phonophani w/ Sigbjørn Apeland
Phonophani is the alter-ego of Espen Sommer Eide, Norway's most original and most inventive electronica musician around. Eide is both multi-instrumentalist, expert in digital electronica and also an instrument-maker... which largely explains why his music sounds so unique. Eide is at the same time ½ of the duo Alog that he established in ’97 and with which he has already chalked up 5 albums (of which 4 on Rune Grammofon). With this Phonophani project Eide attempts to fuse acoustic instruments (cello, vibraphone, guitar, the human voice,…) with electronica. His fourth album ‘Kreken’ was just recently released (with collaboration from the likes of David Grubbs) and on it each song was named after place in Norway. Especially for AB, Sigbjørn Apeland will be coming along too (also to be heard on ‘Kreken’). He's the a harmonium/pump organ player who can be heard on many Rune Grammofon albums (Nils Økland, Alog,…).

10:00 pm - Puma
Norwegian trio Puma is often considered to be the younger cousin of Supersilent. The latest (third) album ‘Half Nelson Courtship’ is also their first on Rune Grammofon and is one in which the comparisons with King Crimson (’73 period) are not far-fetched. One thing is for sure: Puma – with Stian Westerhus as driving force – is one of the most impressive up and coming bands in the ever growing Norwegian experimental music scene that seamlessly combines improvisation, jazz, electronica and free rock. The Wire on the subject: “Puma possess a romantic take on improvisation, cutting Westerhus’ guitar with wild free drumming and a symphonic sense of grandeur.” Aside from Westerhus, drummer Gard Nilssen (Bushman’s Revenge) and Jaga Jazzist keyboard player Øystein Moen form the other two thirds of the band.