DID YOU SAY IMPROV?

I got the new Spunk album, En Aldeles Forferdelig Sykdom, published on the ever-excellent Rune Grammofon imprint, a couple of weeks ago, and it is just totally mind-blowing.

Spunk are an Norwegian all-female free improv band formed ten years ago by four world-renowned musicians: Maja Ratkje, Kristin Andersen, Hild Sofie Tafjord and Lene Grenager. Their work features anything from electronics to screams and is probably best described as challenging.

Of course, this is not exactly the kind of stuff you put on in the morning to cheer you up, but the way they come up with the strangest sounds, and constantly veer from beautiful musicality into complete sonic anarchy is just compelling. The album features wonderful artwork by Kim Hiorthøy.