in the countryIn The Country’s third album "Whiteout" for Norwegian label Rune Grammofon is their most ambitious offering to date. The album was written after band leader Morten Qvenild was awarded Kongsberg Jazzfestival’s prestigious musician award and it displays his innovative craft for composition, timing structures and melody. Qvenild takes care of piano and synth duties for the album and is ably accompanied by Roger Artnzen on double bass, Pal Hausken on drums and Andreas Mjos on guitars, vibes and programming. Rune Grammofon is a label synonymous with the experimental jazz scene in Norway and is best known of course for their close connections with Supersilent. However, ‘Whiteout’ situates itself more towards the Bill Evans coffee-table style. Tracks like ‘Dead Water’ place sporadic piano chords and elaborate modal figures over decadent drum rudiments that return with pendulum like regularity to a softly swung theme. The album is really devoid from any over indulgences that in my opinion can sour this kind of music. The core of the tracks are based on very simple chord structures which are arranged and presented in beautiful ways and the tracks are all given ample time to develop. At times I found myself waiting for something a little more dynamic but in short it’s a very easy work that you cant really fault. -- simon harris.
:: In The Country/Whiteout - rune grammofon/cargo.
