As the musical leader of Norwegian ten-piece outfit
Jaga Jazzist, Lars Horntveth had, for the last ten years,
crafted a truly unique and innovative body of work.
Following last year’s The Stix album,
the collective’s first for Ninja Tune, and the
consecutive extensive tour, Lars Horntveth took some
time off to work on his first solo project, now released
on the ever excellent Smalltown Supersound.
Hailing from Tonsberg, in the suburbs of Oslo, Lars
Horntveth formed Jaga Jazzist in 1994, when he was just
fourteen. The band released their first album, Jævla
Jazzist Grete Stitz in 1996, followed by the Magazine
EP, produced by the ubiquitous Helge Sten, aka Deathprod,
a couple of years later. Their next album, A Livingroom
Hush, was released in 2001 through Warners and
received considerable praised in Scandinavia, resulting
in the band signing to Oslo-based Smalltown Supersound
and having their album distributed worldwide. Since,
the band has gained a lot of recognition, culminating
with Ninja Tune signing them and releasing their last
album to date.
Although Pooka bears some resemblance with
Jaga Jazzist, it is also a far more personal piece of
work. This album was recorded entirely with real instruments,
with the exception of programmed beats. While Horntveth
played most of the instruments himself, he got a nine-piece
string ensemble on board to supply some extra textures.
This results in Pooka being a beautifully human
collection of subtle instrumentals, with incredible
nuances and emotional touches. The album opens with
an intricate piano and plucked strings combination over
which a gentle melody, played on the clarinet, gently
develops until a voluptuous layer of strings comes swirling
around it. This sets the tone for the rest of the album.
While the recent single, The Joker, demonstrates
Horntveth’s great ability to develop superb orchestrations
and melodies, it is the stunning and clever Tics
and News On The March that provide the most
haunting moments here. While the former develops the
concept of the title track further and on a more ambitious
scale as Horntveth flirts with classical music, the
latter is a more restrained affair, at least in its
first section. Here again, the strings slowly build
up over percussions and noises to provide a superb backdrop
to Horntveth’s main contribution. On 1. Lesson
In Violin, he injects some oriental flavours into
a complex layering of sound, while on Pooka Soundtrack,
which closes the album, Horntveth shows a more delicate
side of his talent.
If Lars Horntveth’s mark on Jaga Jazzist is undeniable,
Pooka reveals how the man has shaped the sound
of his collective and encourage them to follow him.
This solo album bears some trademark Horntveth moments,
but also shows a slightly different side to his talent.
A visceral musician, it is only a matter of time before
he becomes truly recognised for his work.
4.7/5 |
