Norwegian project ORIGAMI ARKTIKA is a long running side project of Origami Republika, the latter parenting a few dozen child projects for more than 20 years running. Origami Arktika has been in existence since the early 1990’s, an have since 1999 been a consistent project with fixed members. “Absolut Gehör” documents recording sessions that took place in 2010, and was released on multiple labels in 2014. US label Silber Records were chosen as the publisher of the digital version of this album.
Origami Arktika’s self description states that they explore “unique ambient folk dub creating mystical soundspaces”. That description doesn’t quite fit the contents of this particular production though, although a solid remnant of this project description does appear as well.
The opening piece on this production, Ro og Hamle, is one that for me just didn’t make any positive impression, basically a fairly static droning organ over a multitude of rhythm effects and various barely audible instrument details, this one is a case for the very specially interested in my book. This is also the sole creation here that isn’t based on traditional folk music, and as such this is an odd one out on this album.
The remaining material is all the more alluring however. Various odd rhythm and percussion effects is a key feature throughout, with noises made by objects used extensively to create unusual but organic elements in the compositions that are explored. Backed up by anything from a barely audible violin to plucked light toned static guitars and shamanistic percussion patterns as in Tora Liti or the aforementioned dub from the bands self description in the magnificent Det Syng for Storegut. Still, rhythms and sounds wouldn’t make much of an impact without the lead vocals, and from track 2 on this album and onward we are provided with a most alluring lead vocalist singing clearly and distinctly in what I associate with a specific old Norwegian folk singing tradition, a melodic and beautiful contrast to the rhythms, drones and sounds that supports the vocals. While perhaps not the highest impact of the compositions, the sheer quality of the vocals can best be enjoyed on concluding track Skonde Deg Du Jente (Lurlokk), where the sole support of the vocals is a sound like a stone rolling on a wooden floor, accompanied by dampened metallic sounds as from a chain.
“Absolut Gehör” comes across as a fairly challenging excursion into the realms of experimental folk music, where the most challenging escapades share musical ties with free form jazz, and the arguably most alluring one features a dub style cyclic bass-line, fairly energetic rhythms with a slight jazz orientation and fluctuating dark drones supporting the splendid lead vocals. An album that warrants an inspection by those with an interest in artists exploring folk music in new and arguably innovative manners.
My rating: 71/100
