The Squid's Ear Magazine


Elephant9 : Mythical River (Rune Grammofon)

Wearing the cloak of 60's pyschedelic organ trios modernized in approach and maturity, this is the 8th album from the Swedish improvising, prog-oriented rock band Elephant9, presenting six new compositions from keyboardist Stale Storlokken (Supersilent, Hedvig Mollestad Weejuns) performed with Nikolai Haengsle on electric bass and Torstein Lofthus on drums.
 

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product information:

Personnel:



Nikolai Haengsle-electric bass

Stale Storlokken-electric organ, electric piano, synthesizer, synthesizer, grand piano, piano, celesta, mellotron

Torstein Lofthus-drums, percussion


Click an artist name above to see in-stock items for that artist.




UPC: 7033662022359

Label: Rune Grammofon
Catalog ID: RCD 2235CD
Squidco Product Code: 34624

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2024
Country: Norway
Packaging: Digipack - 3 panel
Recorded at Kungsten Studios, in Gothenburg, Sweden, in October, 2023, by Mattias Glava.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"After a solid run of five studio albums and two double live albums, Psychedelic Backfire I and II, (both 2019), Elephant9 had taken their groovy mix of high energy rock and power jazz as far as they could. In this respect their previous album Arrival of The New Elders (2021) came as a welcome and most timely addition to their recorded output. More varied, mature and reflective, they were as groovy as ever, but more structured and less jam oriented.

Mythical River is molded much in the same way and a natural follow-up, with six stellar new compositions by keyboard maestro Stale Storlokken, bookended by two short cosmic snippets. From the hypnotic and magical to the razor sharp and polyrhythmic, this is yet another strong group effort from a trio on top of their game.

Comparisons have been made with bands dating as far back as the sixties, but with Arrival of The New Elders and Mythical River, Elephant9 appear as a thoroughly contemporary, timeless and even futuristic sounding band.

Stale started his musical journey in Veslefrekk with Jarle Vespestad and Arve Henriksen in the '90s, soon morphing into Supersilent with Helge Sten on board. He's also a member of Hedvig Mollestad Weejuns, Moster!, and Humcrush, and have collaborated with a number of artists, most notably Motorpsycho.

Nikolai is also a member of Bigbang, Needlepoint, and Band of Gold, and have appeared on a couple of hundred records. The same goes for Torstein, an associate member of numerous bands ranging from pop and soul to free jazz. But Elephant9 has always been their special baby."-Rune Grammofon


Artist Biographies

"Nikolai Hængsle (previously Nikolai Hængsle Eilertsen, born 24 June 1978) is a Norwegian bass guitarist. He is primarily known as a member of BigBang (1999-2004, 2009-) and The National Bank (2004-). Eilertsen, who was born in Skotselv, also participates in the bands Lester, Needlepoint and Elephant9.

Honors

- Spellemannprisen 2004 in the class Pop band for the album The National Bank

- Spellemannprisen 2010 in the class Jazz for the album Walk the Nile"

-Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolai_H%C3%A6ngsle)
1/17/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Ståle Storløkken (born 22 February 1969 in Dombås, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (keyboards, organ and piano) and composer, known from co-operations with artists like Terje Rypdal, BigBang, Supersilent and Motorpsycho. He is married to the Norwegian singer Tone Åse.

Storløkken was educated on the Jazz program at Trondheim Musikkonservatorium (1988-90), and subsequently did his postgraduate there too. During the studies he started the band Veslefrekk together with fellow students Arve Henriksen and Jarle Vespestad (Helge Sten joined the band at a later stage). In 1997 the name of the band changed to Supersilent. They have released six critically acclaimed albums on the label Rune Grammofon. From 1995 he played in the trio BOL along with his wife Tone Åse and Tor Haugerud.

Storløkken has been active in many contexts, both as a band leader and member, for example The Stoken Experience, and Terje Rypdal's Skywards. Along with Christian Wallumrød, and he composed the commissioned work Eight Thirty to Kongsberg Jazz Festival 1994. He has collaborated on a number of albums with the named bands, and otherwise at such musicians as Gunnar Andreas Berg, Eldbjørg Raknes, Audun Kleive and Thomas Strønen.

Storløkken together with Thomas Strønen has the Humcrush duo, which has released three albums. He also plays in the trio Elephant9, along with Torstein Lofthus and Nikolai Eilertsen. He co-composed Berit Opheim's commissioned work An angel with for Vossajazz 2007, and in 2010 composed and performed his one commissioned work for Moldejazz with the band Motorpsycho, Trondheim Jazz Orchestra and Trondheim Soloists."

-Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St%C3%A5le_Storl%C3%B8kken)
1/17/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Torstein Lofthus (born 10 March 1977, in Øystese, Kvam, Norway) is a Norwegian drummer and composer, married to Hege Lofthus (b. Sørvig, 1981), and known from bands like Shining, Elephant9, Mathias Eick Band, D'Sound and Ebersson/Zanussi/Lofthus.

Lofthus has had a major influence on Norwegian music through studio work, live concerts and teaching at Norwegian Academy of Music and at University of Agder (the Faculty of Fine Arts). Based in Oslo, he now tours Norway and Europe with different bands and artists after finishing his master at the Norwegian Academy of Music spring 2006. He plays several genres, well known with both jazz and pop music. He has been the most sought drummer in Norway recent years, if not on tour with Vamp, Jarle Bernhoft, Oslo Gospel Choir, Mathias Eick or Marit Larsen, he collaborates with Maria Mena, Kurt Nilsen, Torun Eriksen, Bertine Zetlitz, Silje Nergaard, Eivind Aarset, D'Sound, Noora Noor, The Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Jon Eberson and Per Zanussi, to mention a few, both in studio and on stage."

-Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torstein_Lofthus)
1/17/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. Solitude In Limbo #2 01:41

2. Mythical River 08:07

3. Party Among The Stars 06:17

4. Chamber of Silence 02:49

5. Heading For Desolate Wastelands 05:57

6. Star Cluster Detective 04:48

7. Cavern Of The Red Lion 05:09

8. Solitude In Limbo#1 01:40

Related Categories of Interest:


Rock and Related
Progressive Rock
Improvised Music
Improvised Rock
European Improvisation, Composition and Experimental Forms
Trio Recordings
Staff Picks & Recommended Items
New in Rock Forms
Recent Releases and Best Sellers

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Rune Grammofon.


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