SANDRA BORØY - Sus
Losen Records LOS164-2
Sandra Borøy: vocals, piano; Jonas Dyrstad Valberg: guitar, backing vocals; Guttorm Strande Syrrist: double bass, electric bass, backing vocals; Jonatan Schanke Eikum: drums, backing vocals.
Recorded Amper Tone Studio, Oslø, February 2016
Having formed some four years ago, this set is the first recording of Borøy’s quartet. The opening and closing tracks (Sus and Sus II) offer haunting vocalese over melodic guitar lines, with the bass and drums accompaniment in the background. This pattern is picked up on tracks 4 and 8 (Jiffy and Jiffy II). For the rest of the set, Borøy sings lyrics over a gentle, ambient backing with chord sequences that are simple but not easily predictable. The overall effect is a haunting collection in which Borøy’s singing takes centre stage and captivates the listener.
The accompanying booklet has the lyrics in Norwegian and the lack of translation is no barrier to appreciating the way in which the words are framed by the music. There is a sense of the improvised in some of the pieces and a sense of the chamber group on others; the subtle shifting between styles repays listening, particularly when the singing moves from the sung lyric to the scatted vocal, as the voice becomes another instrument in the quartet. Throughout, the role of the guitar is to pick out chords that reflect the changes in mood of the song and this often involves sequences and patterns that fall differently to what one might expect, giving the whole set of feeling of openness and playfulness that works beautifully. The quartet has played to a number of festivals in their homeland and hopefully they will enjoy success further afield. This is certainly a fresh and inspiring introduction to their music.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
Losen Records LOS164-2
Sandra Borøy: vocals, piano; Jonas Dyrstad Valberg: guitar, backing vocals; Guttorm Strande Syrrist: double bass, electric bass, backing vocals; Jonatan Schanke Eikum: drums, backing vocals.
Recorded Amper Tone Studio, Oslø, February 2016
Having formed some four years ago, this set is the first recording of Borøy’s quartet. The opening and closing tracks (Sus and Sus II) offer haunting vocalese over melodic guitar lines, with the bass and drums accompaniment in the background. This pattern is picked up on tracks 4 and 8 (Jiffy and Jiffy II). For the rest of the set, Borøy sings lyrics over a gentle, ambient backing with chord sequences that are simple but not easily predictable. The overall effect is a haunting collection in which Borøy’s singing takes centre stage and captivates the listener.
The accompanying booklet has the lyrics in Norwegian and the lack of translation is no barrier to appreciating the way in which the words are framed by the music. There is a sense of the improvised in some of the pieces and a sense of the chamber group on others; the subtle shifting between styles repays listening, particularly when the singing moves from the sung lyric to the scatted vocal, as the voice becomes another instrument in the quartet. Throughout, the role of the guitar is to pick out chords that reflect the changes in mood of the song and this often involves sequences and patterns that fall differently to what one might expect, giving the whole set of feeling of openness and playfulness that works beautifully. The quartet has played to a number of festivals in their homeland and hopefully they will enjoy success further afield. This is certainly a fresh and inspiring introduction to their music.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
