Newbee

Orions Belte: The New Shiny Stars From The Northern Sky

Newbee — Fri, 27 Jul 2018 08:17:47 +0000

Orions Belte might sound odd to you, but in Norway it’s a household name; it’s originally a best-selling novel published in 1977 and was later adapted to a film in the ’80s. Now it has also become a band, and we have a chat with guitarist Øyvind Blomstrøm to get to know more about this new outstanding group.

Hi Øyvind! Can you tell us who stand behind Orions Belte? And what are your music influences?

Øyvind Blomstrøm:We are three musicians — Øyvind Blomstrøm on guitar, Chris Holm on bass and Kim Åge Furuhaug on drums — from different parts of Norway that happened to start Orions Belte last year.

The kind of music I’m into differs from day to day, really. One day it’s Nina Simone, the next day it’s Alice Cooper or ‘50s western swing. Today I haven’t listened to anything but Verdibørsen on NRK P2. Same goes for music heroes. I didn’t grow up having any particular guitar hero, but for me the John Coltrane Quartet with Elvin Jones on drums is probably one of the most important musical groups ever.

Could you tell us why the band is called Orions Belte?

Orions Belte(Orion’s belt in English) was originally the name of one of the songs from the album. It kind of reminds me of the soundtrack from the movie. Eventually, that became the name of the band, and the song was renamed Alnitak, which is one of the stars in the Orion constellation.

The 1985’s film Orions Belte is a Norwegian classic.

Orions Belte came about when in 2016 Chris and Øyvind met and decided to start an instrumental band together. Can you tell us more about it? And why did you choose to form an instrumental band in particular?

Chris and I met when we both were touring with Ingebjørg Bratland’s band. As always on tour, there will be music playing in the car or after shows, and we quickly found out that we shared some affection for instrumental music of different kinds. I’ve always listened to a lot of jazz and African guitar music but I also really like classically arranged pop music, like the beautiful arrangements of Brian Wilson or Jack Nitzsche and other California-based arrangers and composers from the ‘60s. The main idea was that we wanted to do more together than just being the hired guns in different bands — even though we love that and still play in Bratland’s band — I had some music ready and Chris had some ideas, that’s how it started.

How did Kim join the band?

Kim Åge and Chris had played together in lots of different projects in the Bergen scene. I loved his drumming and their sound together in their band, Bloody Beach. So that was easily the first choice.

All of you have done and been involved in a lot of projects before starting Orions Belte. If we want to get to know more about your preceding music, which projects should we check out? Young Dreams? El Cuero? Great News? And what are your proudest works so far?

We have worked on all those projects that you’ve mentioned here, and I’ve done other records like Odd Nordstoga’s latest album in which I play guitar. The other guys play on tons of different stuff all the time, including their band that I mentioned, Bloody Beach. I guess for the more personal stuff you could check out Chris’ solo album from a couple of years back, Kim Åge has a solo procect called Super Heavy Metal that is music made only on cymbals, and I feel I made a personal touch producing and playing on Monica Heldal’s last album, The One In The Sun.

The music video for their second single Atlantic Surfing. Animated by Steph Hope.

Artist Steph Hopes has produced some amazing work for the sleeve designs and music videos. Whose idea is it?

That was through our label Jansen Records. They use a great graphic designer called Levi Bergqvist, and suggested that we could use Steph for the video project, which turned out absolutely amazing.

Orions Belte’s debut album Mint will be released by Jansen Records on 14th September.

In your official press release, your debut album Mint is described to be fitting for parties. Is “fitting for parties” a great concern for your music?

The album works in different settings. Relaxing in the sun, partying or driving cars is some of the best settings for this album.

The first two singles sound so different. The first single Le Mans has got this hipster slacker-rock sound in it while the krautrock/psychedelic rock single Atlantic Surfing, which is inspired by Nigerian rock and F1, is a big departure from the first one. What can we expect from the next upcoming single, and what genre will it be?

The next single will be a pretty dark track, in between the two singles that have already been released. I don’t know which genres the songs are, they are all over the place all the time. I guess it’s a bit dark with some slide guitar work, some backing vocals, a bit of pedal steel and a great dub mix ending by Matias Tellez who mixed the album.

What bands does Orions Belte look up to and take inspiration from?

We are influenced by all kinds of stuff really; in recent years there has been more instrumental stuff from great bands like BadBadNotGood and Khruangbin. We listen to those as well as African stuff from today and all the way back to the ‘50s, Dur-Dur Band, Sir Victor Uwaifo, or chamber stuff like David Axelrod. Chris digs a lot of Brazilian stuff and library music, while I look up to a lot of musicians, inspiration can come from anything. It could be a movie, sports, a magazine picture or a certain mood from that day you wrote the song. But I think it tends to be pretty visual for me.

From left to right: Chris Holm on bass, Øyvind Blomstrøm on guitar, and Kim Åge Furuhaug on drums.

How about Norwegian music influence? Who did you listen to growing up? And which acts are your favourites now?

I grew up in the smallest place with little or no music scene except this one guy who had a hammond organ and a great prog rock vinyl collection. I spent most of my teen years listening to old music, classic rock like the Stones and The Who; some blues, Mitch Mitchells drumming and prog rock like Yes and King Crimson, alongside some hip hop and other current things at the time.

I didn’t really listen to any Norwegian bands until I got a bit older. I love a lot of Norwegian stuff though, so many great artists and bands now. Pop, jazz, borderless music; Elephant9, bands you’ve mentioned like Young Dreams, Great News; I like Hajk, Chain Wallet, Band of Gold, Vilde Tuv, Sudan Dudan, the Kjorstad brothers, Möster and of course the big ones like Motorpsycho and Susanne Sundfør. The quality of Norwegian bands and musicians are exceptional now, and we’ve been lucky enough to play with a lot of them.

A good swimming spot: Katten in Oslo.

You are the only one living in Oslo, what would you say about the city? And while all of you are based in different cities, where did Orions Belte make and record the music?

I’m the only one living in Oslo, but I have been here for 13 years and still love every bit of it as much as when I got here. I love the city and all the work possibilities here, the quality of the music and all the amazing nature nearby.

We recorded the album in Bergen at Kim Åges’ rehearsal space, but he moved quickly after that. So now we’re based in three different places, hahaha. I made most of the music before we met, and then we instantly arranged and added stuff as we went along. The process was super organic and natural in every way.

And here are some of my tips for visiting Oslo. For nature I love Nydalsdammen in Nydalen — one of my favourite places to swim in Oslo. Katten is also great for morning swims. I also enjoy a traditional karbonadesmørbrød — an open-faced sandwich topped with a meat patty — in a nice surrounding; Bristol or Theatercafeen are where I usually go to. I also like the new bar Bar Albatross in Torshov; Bar Brutus or Oslo Velo for their wine selections; and Kunsternes Hus for its great pizza.

The music video for their debut single Le Mans. Animated by Steph Hope.

This is the second piece from our new series New Norwegian Act of the Month. Follow us on Instagram or Facebook and subscribe to our newsletter if you don’t wanna overlook any new Norwegian talent! And grab yourself a copy of Oh Oslo – The Music Issue to read more about the music scene in Oslo!

Oh! Oslo Weekly Digest & Weekend Plan (Week 24)

Newbee — Fri, 15 Jun 2018 13:09:06 +0000

Festival season has kicked off and Summer holiday is afoot, but we don’t leave you just yet. Refresh yourself with all the latest!

In this week…

The biggest debate this week must go to the city emblem debacle. Oslo Kommune has spent nearly 5 million kroner to get a unified and modern visual identity for all the departments under Oslo Kommune. The new identity created by the agency Creuna was revealed earlier this week and immediately met with widespread criticism. The major problem lies on the concern that if the city emblem will be completely replaced by the new oversimplified logo or not.

A “modern, simplistic, clean” redesign goes completely wrong, well, it reminds us of this joke about the Starbucks logo.
Bruker nesten 5 mill. på ny Oslo-design: – Har kommet litt feil ut

The slow TV series Minutt for Minute has become a Summer tradition here in Norway, and this year we are going to follow the “Norwegian Bear Grylls” Lars Monsen exploring nature across the country. Monsen minutt for minutt will be on telly on 12 July.
– Jeg gleder meg til å se andre ha det fint på tur

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotell, or locally known as Oslo Plaza, will gain three additional floors on the existing building, reclaiming the status of the tallest building in Oslo. It will also get a new 17-storey extension next to the original building.
Oslo får nytt mini-Plaza

The new trams in Oslo are going to be Spanish. The model of the new tram is Urbos 100, now known as SL18. You can see them test-running in 2020, and in 2024 all the 72 old trams will be replaced by these new ones.
Oslo skal kjøpe 87 Spania-trikker til mer enn fire milliarder

The salary for a Member of Parliament(Stortingsrepresentant) has been increased this year by 26.000kr, meaning that their new yearly salary becomes 954 000 kroner, soon reaching 1 million kroner mark. Audun Lysbakken, the leader of SV, said that it’s time for the parliament to take a political debate about the MPs’ salary level, and we can’t agree more.
Stortinget bevilger seg selv 26.000 kroner i lønnsøkning

A new 26-episode animated series about three vikings has been commissioned by Disney, and most important of all, it’s Disney’s first Norwegian animation production. It took the production company Storm Films ten years to finish the development of this new series Viking Skool.
«Nordmenn lager vikingserie for Disney

NRK has made a lot of effort on raising the awareness of the tremendous pressure guys are under to achieve an ideal body image. Mathias Vestergaard, one of the informants, used to get bullied for his chest and he had to use a belt to bind his chest at school. In the end he went through a surgery. A saddening but alarming story. Highly recommended.
15.000 gutter svarte NRK om kropp: Dette er viktigst for oss

What’s on this weekend…

Courtesy of Noplace & Nicholas Riis / Photo credit: Lars Brekke

FESTIVAL // Piknik i Parken 2018 : Summer festival season is in full swing now with Piknik i Parken kicking off at Vigelandsparken this Friday (Vigelandsparken – 15-17 June)

FESTIVAL // Fysisk Fest 2018 : The indie music label Fysisk Formats is marking its 10 year birthday with a festival! Some of the acts playing are The Good The Bad And The Zugly, Kollwitz and Hilma Nikolaisen (15-17 June)

TOUR // Åpen dag i det nye Nasjonalmuseet : Maybe it’s good to take a closer look at the new National Museum after all the heated discussion? (1-5pm – 16 June)

CONCERT // Lørdag: Eikrem & Baksaas – Duets Releasekonsert : The release party for Duets, a double album by Bendik Baksaas & Kristoffer Eikrem.(VIPPE – 9pm – 16 June)

CLUB // Magnus International // Ullern Villaklubb : We love Magnus International’s debut Echo To Echo under Full Pupp. So if you fancy dancing, go there. (Dattera til Hagen – 11pm – 16 June)

THEATRE // THE HUM AV SUSIE WANG : The critically-acclaimed performance by the theatre collective Susie Wang is returning to Dramatikkenshus for its second run! (Dramatikkenshus – 15-16June)

ART // Nicholas Riis – Rope : It’s your last chance to see Nicolas Riis’ exhibition Rope at Noplace this weekend. The works look kinky, weird and hard to define — and the lengthy interview with Riis on Noplace website captures it rather well.(Noplace – 27 May – 17 June)

Newbees in Oslo…

BAR // Bar Albatross: Torshov used to be the peaceful, quiet neighbourhood for wealthy young parents and grownups. But well, things are starting to change because it has got itself another new hip, designy and hipster neighbourhood bar Albatross. It has the classic hipster decor that is done by Morten Engebretsen. Having just opened its doors last week, it has already stolen singer-songwriter Marte Wulff’s heart. “It just opened and I already feel like it has always been there. Good music, good people, and good anything you like to drink,” said Marte in the interview we did with her new band VIGGO. Torshovgata 5 – Torshov

BAR // Pedro’s: In addition to the staple Portuguese fixtures Pastel de Nata and Andorinha, we now have got one more tasteful addition — Pedro’s. Run by a 25-year old Portugese called Pedro Caiado, it has probably found itself the best spot in town to serve the hungry and wine-thirsty shoppers in Bogstadveien. Hegdehaugsveien 36 C – Majorstuen

Eatery // EDDA: EDDA is the new upmarket restaurant located in Bjørvika. Henny Mürers gang 1 – Bjørvika

Newbees in Music…

photo credit: Mutual Intentions

MUSIC // Kristoffer Eikrem & Bendik Baksaas – Duets: This double album not only looks sexy, but also sounds absolutely fantastic and mesmerising. If you love minimalistic electronic music with a touch of jazz, then you should definitely check this album out, and consider to go to the release party! Label: Mutual Intentions

Duets by Kristoffer Eikrem & Bendik Baksaas

MUSIC // Intertwine – Tokyo : Tokyo is the new single from the three-piece Intertwine. It’s a top-notch Scandinavian synth pop tune that reminds you of The Radio Dept. and the likes from Sweden, combining the melancholy and musical exuberance seamlessly. Frontman Tarjei Ekelund studied in Tokyo before. Label: Brilliance

Music // Eirik Aas – Min tid : The latest single from Bergen-based rapper Eirik Aas. He is also doing his first Oslo gig tonight at Revolver.Label: Vibbefanger

BOOK // LINER QUOTES : Liner Quotes is a new book series by author and photographer Ketil Mosnes. The first of the series is Aurora. Label: Vårt Forlag

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VIGGO, The Pop Group That Dares to be Arty and Honest

Newbee — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 10:41:43 +0000

We have a chat with the new interdisciplinary band VIGGO about their music and Oslo, and show the MV for Be One here exclusively.

Hi VIGGO! We know you are Sjur Miljeteig, Charlotte Qvale and Marte Wulff, but considering that press releases and wikipedia probably don’t do you justice, could you introduce yourselves in your own words?

Sjur:I have one leg in jazz, playing the trumpet; and one in electronic music. Nowadays my working life contains mainly of composing for theatre/contemporary dance, combining my two legs in different combinations. When I discovered music for real, at around the age of six, I had three heroes: Elvis, Louis Armstrong and Talking Heads.

Charlotte: My parents bought me an old piano when I was seven. It had been standing in the cantina at a tobacco factory, and it smelled of cigarettes. I was very intrigued, and so were my friends, by this huge, smelly piano. I started learning my friends’ favourite songs by heart and held concerts for them in our basement on a regular basis. Since then I have gotten myself an education in acting, directed quite a lot of plays and art performances, and released a solo album hitting the national radio playlists for 52 weeks. Growing up I had one true hero: Michael Jackson. David Bowie and Björk entered the hero list as I grew up.

Marte:I have been working as a solo singer and songwriter within the piano-pop and folk genre for over a decade, releasing 6 solo albums, and touring all over Norway. I still mostly play duo and solo shows with no electronic music involved, so doing VIGGO and being part of an actual band, where it is not all up to me, is so much fun. I have always been a sucker for beautiful melodies, no matter the genre, and original voices who touch a nerve. Lately I am increasingly interested in instrumental music and classical stuff, things I have more or less neglected in the past for some reason.

All three of you have had a lot of experience in the music industry. How did you all meet and decide to do VIGGO together?

VIGGO: The three of us had met and worked together more or less coincidentally on several different projects in the past, and because we immediately enjoyed each other’s company so much and greatly admire each other as artists, we started looking for a good excuse to spend more time together. The big decision was made over a beer. Marte and Charlotte started sending sketches to Sjur, and he returned them after having given them a shape. From then it has been an amazingly fruitful process of meeting in the studio and developing these sketches together.

We all think of this as a lifetime project, a way we can grow old together and create something meaningful in an ego-free environment at the same time.

That sounds absolutely adorable! How about the music style? The first two singles that have been released — Habit and Be One — have strong influence from the more ”classic” electronic pop/new wave sounds from the ‘80s and ‘90s. Why did you choose electronic pop as the genre for VIGGO while all of you have done music in different genres before?

S: When we started this project, our only ambition was to have fun. For me, the sounds of the world in my childhood (I was born in 74) has haunted me in my work for many years, but this is the first time I shamelessly really dive into the (pompous) beauty of the ‘80s. Not that I try as hard as I can to make it sound like this, but that’s what happens when I close my eyes, open my heart and tweak the knob.

C: I feel absolutely the same as Sjur about this. Working with VIGGO to me is just letting go and following my instincts. The genre was no choice, this is just what happened. I think this free-floating creativity is within reach because we leave our egos at the door to the degree this is possible.

M: It suited the way we collaborate. And it felt right for all of us — even though none of us really operates in this specific genre in our respective solo work — so we went for it. It seems to be the natural form of our common musical ground, so to speak. We are all children of the ‘80s and ‘90s and appreciate the passion and naivety of the music we grew up with. It’s familiar, yet freeing, to let the creative forces come together the way they want to, without any of us needing to shape it into something like what we have done before.

Geir Hytten dancing in a local architecture firm in the MV for “Habit”

We know that VIGGO is an interdisciplinary pop group, meaning that you are combining other art forms with music. So what can we expect from a VIGGO’s performance? Will it be similar to a theatre performance or an art installation?

VIGGO: The answer here would be yes. It is still too early to describe exactly how it will play out, but we will never be a classic band and other art forms will play a significant role in our performances. We would like to create a dynamic universe rather than a locked artistic image, but we are probably as curious as you guys as to see how it will turn out in the end.

What are the inspirations for VIGGO? What groups do you look up to, or take inspiration from?

S: It is very difficult to point out the direct inspirations, it’s not like we sit in the studio saying “this snare should sound like Beyoncé and the hi-hats like the Police”, but I guess you can say the soundscapes from the ‘80s pop art scene (Bowie/Brian Eno/Peter Gabriel/Kate Bush etc.) has had quite an impact on our musical preferences.

C: I am very taken by great soundtracks, and when I create music it is often based on pictures in my head. I also love that making music in general feels like dragging all sorts of strange things out of a treasure chest and putting them together, and this feeling has never been stronger than when I am working with VIGGO. All our references and personal taste melt together into something new.

We love the concept of a music video series that has some form of continuity or consistency. In VIGGO’s case it’s the modern dance choreography and directing by the director Antero Hein and dancer Geir Hytten that create the blueprint. The first one Habit is more playful; Be One is full of tension and tumultuous emotions; what can we expect from the third one? And how many more can we expect from the series?

VIGGO: Habit was he first and Be One is the second video in a series of four, following our alter ego VIGGO, the loner and the love child, in his struggle to liberate himself from the built-in and forceful habits of the ego and becoming free through motion, music and creative exploration.

In a way, it is also an analogy for the VIGGO collective working our way towards the stage. The production and narrative of the videos is not planned in advance, and the result, given the right song and the dedication of the people involved, is based on believing that everything will come together in a perfect imperfect VIGGO-way. The third video will be the next natural step for our alter ego, but we do not yet know what that is. It will depend on the song we choose, the location we end up in an, I guess, where Geir is at in his head and body the day of the shoot.

How did you get to know Antero Hein and Geir Hytten? What is the connection?

M: We wanted to incorporate different artistic genres into the collective, and Charlotte and I had an idea to make a dance video for our first single. We wanted it to feel strange and unexpected, kind of ”off”, in a way, and ideally a little funny and beautiful and sad at the same time. Hearing this, Sjur thought of Hytten, a dancer and old friend he has worked with a few times before. The first time we all met Hytten and watched him doing an impro with a garden chair in the back yard at Sjur’s place, we immediately knew he was our guy. He is the impersonation of VIGGO. His method of working, his movements and his personality fit our ”profile” perfectly, and he has become an obvious part of the collective from that day on.
Geir then mentioned Antero Hein, a peripheral acquaintance. We believed that as someone who is not only a talented and artistic photographer, but also a professional dancer himself, he might easily catch what we were trying to convey. We met him the first time on the day of filming the video. The location was decided just the day before. Geir had some moves and the right shirt, Antero had the equipments, we had the music and then we all just showed up. The whole thing was recorded in about five hours, and we knew we had the right crew in place for the long run.

We somehow feel like Geir Hytten should be given a character name, or names in different videos. What do you think his names would be?

C: This is an intriguing idea, but VIGGO is our alter ego, and we believe it is a good idea to avoid focusing on too many aspects. VIGGO is a fascinating, beautiful character in a quite unpredictable universe, in himself just enough for us all to handle.

Is it intentional to use a male actor to mediate the female singing music of VIGGO?

S: No, Geir would have been the body of VIGGO even if he had been born a woman. Gender is insignificant.

Okay, let’s focus on the new single Be One. Can you tell us more about the background of the song? Has one of the members gone through some disruptive relationships lately?

M: Well, yes! But that is not really what the song is about any more. When a piece of lyrics is put into the VIGGO context it opens up and turns into being about something more universal.

S & C: The song looks into the individual’s search for love and acceptance from others as well as a connection to its surroundings. It raises the question of whether or not such a strive can act against its purpose if one is not sufficiently aware of one’s personal motives. You might just end up feeling alienated instead, pushing others away and hurting them in the process. Often the very ones you initially wanted to keep close to heart, the ones you wanted to impress by becoming someone. You forget that we are all one. It actually touches on the very concept of our project.

Here is the music video premiere for Be One. See it for yourself!

What can we expect from your upcoming singles? And what can we expect from the album?

S: We have not decided which song to release next, but in the pile of music we have made so far, Habit is definitely the happy one. Not all the songs are as upbeat as the ones we have released.

C: VIGGO is a mix of Sjur, Marte and Charlotte, and so is the music. There will be a great variation in the songs, some of them feel darker and some feel brighter, and even Habit isn’t such a happy tune when you think about it.

M: True, the lyrics of Habit are actually about being stuck and no less existential struggle. But again, I value the contrast in this. And we do try to offer some friendly advice. We try not to shy away from the big issues in the lyrics, so there are songs about everything from depression and destructiveness to spirituality, reincarnation, old age, grief and timeless love stories.

From left to right: Charlotte Qvale/ Marte Wulff/ Sjur Miljeteig. Photo credit: Julia Naglestad

Last but not least, as we are obsessed with Oslo, can you share your relationship to Oslo with us? Where in Oslo do you think VIGGO’s music fits the best?

S: VIGGO as a band was formally established on a wonderful small pub in Rosteds gate called Orlando. I was born in Oslo, spent the major part of my childhood in Kampen and currently reside in Vålerenga with my family. It has been a wonderful ride following the development of this part of Oslo the last 30 years! My favourite place, for dining and drinking, is obviously Kampen Bistro. I watch football at Vålerenga Vertshus, a classic pub for the locals.

The idea of VIGGO was hatched over a beer at this 22-year old pub Orlando.

C: I was born in Iceland, but I grew up in Mandal and moved to Oslo to study theatre when I was 18. I have lived here since, apart from four years in Copenhagen, and most of the time I have been living in St.Hanshaugen, a part of the city I will always love. I used to hang out at Underwater Pub listening to opera or drink cheap beer at Sofies vertshus. Right now my favourites are Orlando’s pub, for obvious reasons. On the rare occasions that we experience a really hot summer in Oslo, I love drinking white wine outside Litteraturhuset chatting with strangers (as well as the people I am already hanging with, hehe). Then there is Torggata Botaniske and the drinks there, Izakaya at St. Olavs plass, and I also really like Kampen Bistro where I have had some of my most memorable nights out. I actually played my first solo gig ever there. Right now I live in Smestad/Makrellbekken, a residential area lacking any pubs or bars of interest. I REALLY miss that.

M: Even though both Charlotte and I originally come from cities in the very south of Norway, and parallelly lived in Copenhagen for 4-5 years (not knowing about each other), we are all based in Oslo now, spread out from Vålerenga, through Torshov and all the way to the west-side close to Holmenkollen. We usually meet in the studio at Sjur’s place, where we also always hang out on the 17th of may with our families. We are all so busy that at times we have to use ”important” work or a national day as an excuse to hang out.

Charlotte and I first met doing a split gig at the great little concert venue Mono, and the first time I ever saw Sjur play was on stage at Parkteatret in Grünerløkka. I fell in love with both of them instantly and knew that they were going to play important parts in my life.

I live in Torshov with my daughter and we’re growing very fond of the place with all its parks and sympathetic people. I recommend the new bar Albatross in Torshovgata. It just opened and I already feel like it has always been there. Good music, good people, and good anything you like to drink. I also love taking one of the boats out to Gressholmen for a swim and eating at new Gressholmen kro in the summer! I think VIGGO’s music would work very well in all these places.

This is the first piece from our new series New Norwegian Act of the Month. Follow us on Instagram or Facebook and subscribe to our newsletter if you don’t wanna overlook any new Norwegian talent! And grab yourself a copy of Oh Oslo – The Music Issue to read more about the music scene in Oslo!

Oh! Oslo Weekly Digest & Weekend Plan (Week 23)

Newbee — Fri, 08 Jun 2018 08:41:11 +0000

It’s been a week of reflection. The new National Museum has created one of the most fierce public debate this year. What’s your take?

photo credit: Kleihues + Schuwerk

In this week…

The new National Museum will not open until 2020, but as soon as the half finished architecture in Aker Brygge became visible to the public, it has instantly become an eye sore and got roundly castigated by critics, architects, and, not least, ordinary Osloers.

Worse still, the original glowing part of the architecture, known as Alabasthallen, suffered from technical issues and so the original material albaster had to be dropped. Even the responsible architect Klaus Schuwerk said he would consider not to come to the opening as it looks too ugly, blaming the Statsbygg — Norwegian Directorate of Public Construction and Property — for the poor choice of material.

But in a strange turn of events, Schuwerk came forward to defend his own architecture, expressing that he couldn’t understand why it is possible to discuss a half-finished building. Well, we know the answer to this question though: freedom of expression, we assume.
Det nye Nasjonalmuseet på Vestbanen vekker oppsikt: – Avvisende, ignorant og introvert

It’s definitely not a good week for the Statsbygg. Now nineteen architecture firms have come together to file a complaint against them because of how they handled the construction bidding for the new government building.
19 selskaper går sammen om klage mot Statsbygg

The government is considering to either relocate or rebuild the prison and police quarter in Grønland, as both of the buildings are deemed old and can no longer meet the modern standards required by the police. This has created heated debate in the parliament, whereas nothing is set in stone just yet.
Politihuset i Oslo kan bli flyttet

The new “plain pack” regulations on Snus(Tobaco) has come into effect since 1 July, meaning that the snus packaging design has to be stripped down and cannot use attractive design and colours anymore. “Plain pack” is meant to make snus look dull and unappealing, but ironically it makes snus even more designy and cool than ever.
«Plain pack»-fadesen: Gratulerer, Høie!

After 20 years, NRK is done with the popular talk show Skavlan.
Western Europeans divided over whether their culture is superior to others

What’s on this weekend…

FESTIVAL // Oslo Mikrobryggfest 2018: Do you know there are 18 microbreweries in Oslo? Maybe time to check them out in this festival and get drunk then! (2 June)

FESTIVAL // Oslo Comics Expo 2018 : The long running Oslo Comics Expo is back this weekend! It consists of a market, talks, interviews and exhibitions. Don’t miss this annual event if you are a fan of comics and illustrations! (6-9 June)

FESTIVAL // Heddadagene 2018 : The most important theatre festival in Norway. This week-long festival contains a big volume of shows, talks and seminars, culminating in the prestigious awards Heddaprisen. And also, don’t miss out Kloden i Sentrum! It’s for younger audience and the tent is right in front of National Theatre. (8-17 June)

MARKET // Handmade in Norway curates – SALT Night Market: Handmade in Norway is organising the night market at Salt this weekend. Fancy some design and craft products? (SALT – 8-10 June)

FILM // OSLO PIX 2018 : Film festival Oslo Pix is back for its second year. (4-10 June)

ART // Avgang 2018: Design/Traust: The graduation shows for design and material design at KHiO are on till 10 June. (KHiO – 1-10 June)

MUSIC // Releaseparty – Sex Judas feat. Ricky – Go Down Judas : A collaboration with illustrator Sindre Goksøyr, Sex Judas feat. Ricky is the side project of Tore Gjedrem from the electronic duo Ost&Kjex. The cover art alone for Go Down Judas is worth your attention, undoubtedly one of the best album cover arts this year.(Kafé Hærverk – 9pm – 21 June)

Newbees in Oslo…

EATERY // KUMI Oslo: Schweigaards gate is indeed receiving a new green makeover. The new vegan/vegetarian café Kumi has been serving organic plant-based food and drinks in Gamle Byen since January! Schweigaards gate 56

Newbees in Music…

photo credit: NRK

MUSIC // Orions Belte – Atlantic Surfing: The new Norwegian band Orions Belte(which we just introduced not along ago) has released a new single called Atlantic Surfing. This track takes a completely different direction from their debut single Le Mans. It’s an uplifting banger — an explosive collision between space rock and krautrock. And we absolutely love the cover art series for the singles! No doubt Orions Belte are now our favourite new Norwegian band and we can’t wait to listen to their debut!

MUSIC // Jenny Hval – The Long Sleep EP : Jenny Hval has formed a new band called Lost Girls, but her latest release is still a solo work. This EP is a jazzy, dreamy and almost trippy work. The easy-listening side and soft tone of it also allude to the indie sounds from the ’80s and ’90s, reminding us a bit of the Snndays or the later works by Cocteau Twins. Label: Sacred Bones Records

The Long Sleep EP by Jenny Hval

MUSIC // Okay Kaya – Both : The long-awaited debut from the New York-based actor, model and musician Kaya Wilkins aka Okay Kaya has finally arrived. Having worked with King Krule and bagging an acting role in Joachim Trier’s Thelma, she has been widely talked about by the fashion and indie music outlets. Her debut album Both, which is raw and lo-fi, and one that is easily considered to be the typical new hipster “bedroom” sounds these days, might not live up to the hype, but the emotions and conflicted feelings expressed through the music sound genuine and heartfelt. Label: HEAVY BODY

FILM // Vann over ild : Joern Utkilen’s debut feature film has come to Norwegian cinemas this week. We haven’t seen this absurd satire just yet, but the receptions in the media are positive so far.

TV // Oslo Zoo : Created and directed by Øyvind Holtmon, this eight-part comedy drama is about how the unemployed aspiring academic Amir struggles with life. It sounds a bit like Netflix’s Master of None, does it? Indeed It’s quite similar, and it also feels like a crossover with High Maintenance. Anyway, we are happy to see a Norwegian TV series with a non-white Norwegian leading role that focuses on the life of someone with immigrant backgrounds.

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Oh! Oslo Weekly Digest & Weekend Plan (Week 22)

Newbee — Thu, 31 May 2018 11:07:10 +0000

Oslo is in its third consecutive week of good weather – between 21-32C. Hotter than most parts in Italy and Spain, Syden what?

photo credit: Ekebergparken

In this week…

Wednesday’s high of 32C was recorded in some parts of Oslo, making it the hottest day in May on record. The previous highest recorded temperature for May was 29.8C.
Sør-Norge får minst en uke til med varme dager – Oslo slo sin egen mai-rekord i ettermiddag

On Wednesday thousands of litres of oil was leaked into the sea through river Alnaelva by a company in Ryen. Sørenga and two other swimming spots were thus closed by the police until the spillage is handled.
Frykter store skader på fugl i Oslofjorden etter oljeutslippet

Paul Mccarthy’s sculpture Santa Claus is the latest addition to the star-studded art collection of Ekebergparken. Owned by the Norwegian tycoon Christian Ringnes, Ekebergparken has been in a mission to collect international art heavyweights since its opening in 2013. Santa Claus, or casually known as “Butt Plug Gnome”, has been reproduced in different sizes and materials since it was first displayed in Rotterdam in 2001. Ekebergparken is receiving a 6-meter tall red version.
«Analplugg-gnomen» på plass i Oslo

Pew Research Centre published a new survey regarding nationalism and religions in Western European countries. Responding to this statement “Our people are not perfect, but our culture is superior to others.”, 58% of the Norwegian respondents expressed “completely agree” or “mostly agree”, making Norway the most “nationalistic” Western European country in this survey.
Western Europeans divided over whether their culture is superior to others

In average the Norwegians take 14.8 days’ sick leave in a year while the Swedes take 11.9 days and the Danes takes 8.5 sick days in average in a year. This boils down to the relaxed attitudes towards and the generous rules and regulations of sick leave and pay in Norway; employees would in general get fully paid when taking sick leave.
Nordmenn har høyest sykefravær i Skandinavia

What’s on this weekend…

FESTIVAL // Hausmaniafestivalen 2018: To mark its 18th birthday, Hausmania is throwing a two-day festival that is packed with DJ sets and concerts. (Hausmania – 1-2 June)

FESTIVAL // European Design Festival : The tickets are quite pricey and a big part of it is about networking, but there are still some free activities you might fancy going, for example the design market at Salt. (1-3 June)

FESTIVAL // Musikkfest Oslo 2018: The amazing free-for-all music festival Musikkfest Oslo returns on this Saturday for another spin! It turns the whole of Oslo into a big music carnival where free concerts take places in different music venues and bars. (2 June)

SHOPPING // Oslo Sneaker Fest 2018 : Want to get some new sneakers and some new street wears for this Summer?(Sentrallen – 2 June)

FILM // Norsk eliteserie: EGGS : Cinemateket is putting together a series of classic Norwegian films. This Friday they are showing the obscure classic Eggs from 1995. A talk explaining why it’s the best Norwegian film will take place after the screening. (Cinemateket – 6pm – 1 June)

FESTIVAL // Trosterudvillaen Festival: Rød resept : Trosterudvillaen is putting together its very first cultural festival this weekend! On Saturday it will join forces with Musikkfest Oslo to host a series of concerts, including two very fun acts Astroburger and Moviestar playing in the evening. (Trosterudvillaen – 1-3 June)

ART // Avgang 2018: MFA Kunstakademiet : We have officially entered the grad show season. At Kunstnernes Hus you can see the graduation show of MA students at Oslo National Academy of the Arts (KHiO) (Kunstnernes Hus – 26 May-24 June)

ART // Sommerutstillingen 2018 : Art school Prosjektskolen Kunstskole is also putting on a summer group show to showcase the works by their students. (Prosjektskolen Kunstskole – Oslo – 1-3 June)

SHOPPING // Årets første marked på Tøyen Torg: the construction work at Tøyen Torg has finally been finished! We can’t wait for the first market there on this Sunday, which sells second-hand clothes and left-over food. (Tøyen Torg – 1pm-4pm – 3 June)

Newbees…

PLACE // Vega Scene: Vega Scene, a new cinema, theatre and culture place on Hausmania, will not open until November, but they have just launched a crowdfunding project to raise more money for their opening.

BAR // Bruket: Schweigaards gate, which used to be a rather barren and industrial street, is getting a new green life thanks to the landbrukskvartalet on Schweigaards gate 34C. Landbrukskvartalet (The Agriculture Quarter) is now home to various green organisations, including Nabolagshager, Greenhouse and a new bar/eatery/cultural venue Bruket, which just opened in April. Who can resist a rustic chic look? Check it out. Schweigaards gate 34C

EATERY // Sørenga Sushi Bar: Sørenga, the ever-popular summer spot for sunbathing and swimming, is getting a new sushi bar. Sørengkaia 49

MUSIC // Shawn Hansen – Radio Badlands: A new release from the experimental indie label Take It Easy Policy. It’s a collection of onsite improvised music in nature, where electronic music meets field recording. Label: Take It Easy Policy

MUSIC // Emilie Nicolas – Wild One : Singer-songwriter Emilie Nicolas has released her long-awaited second album Tranquille Emilie. The music video of the single Wild One is directed by André Chocron. Emilie Nicolas had an operation for a brain tumour, which forced her to take a career break between 2016 and 2017.

MUSIC // Huma Luma – Only Losers : We really enjoy this new band from Halden. This new single has a charmingly powerful female vocal, beautiful guitars and a breezy melody — perfect for a hot summer day.

MUSIC // DENNIS – Waiting : Hailing from Ål, DENNIS has released his debut single Waiting on Urørt. A rather typical lo-fi guitar indie pop with a soft, flimsy male vocal, but we like it. A fitting song for this Summer.

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Oh! Oslo Weekly Digest & Weekend Plan (Week 21)

Newbee — Fri, 25 May 2018 09:12:24 +0000

Osloers have been blessed by endless sunshine this week. What can we do apart from sunbathing and swimming in the fjords, eh?

In this week…

“Cash is king” is such a dated expression. We Osloers hardly use cash these days. But if you still have some old 100NOK and 200NOK banknotes, use them asap as they are expiring by the end of this month. Save yourself the hassle of going to the bank later!
Når går milliarder av kroner i makuleringsmaskinen

Norwegian Wood, one of the longest-running rock music festivals in Oslo, is cancelled this year because of poor ticket sales. The festival says: “It is necessary to cancel this year’s festival and we’d rather focus on making the world’s best music festival next year.”
Norwegian Wood avlyst

On Tuesday Statistics Norway (SSB) published the latest demographic statistics of the country. The current birth rate is the lowest since 1985 while much of the population growth is driven by immigration.
Lågaste fødselsoverskot sidan 1985

In a lot of Asian cities university students are racing to complete their studies while here in Oslo the common goal is to prolong your study period: only one third of the students at University of Oslo complete their degrees within three years. #YOLO
Trege UiO-studenter

The Norwegian newspaper Dagens Næringsliv has accused Jay-Z’s music streaming company TIDAL of fabricating streaming numbers for Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo and Beyoncé’s Lemonade. TIDAL is an Oslo-based Norwegian streaming service, which was bought by Jay-Z’s Project Panther Bidco Ltd in 2015. This news story is already two weeks old but we reckon everyone should know about it because of its severity and implication. What do all these online streaming figures mean when they can be pumped up easily by bots and all sorts of manipulation?
Jay-Z’s TIDAL Accused Of Inflating Beyoncé And Yeezy Streaming Numbers

What’s on this weekend…

ART // Tid – CYAN 20 års jubileum: The unpretentious independent gallery CYAN is marking its 20 year anniversary! A group show called Tid(meaning “time”) is put together only on this weekend. A special fanzine made by Anne Tharaldsen Haugen will also be launched for the occasion. (CYAN Gallery – 25-27 May)

CLUB // Girls Club på Gaasa : Club concept Girls Club, dedicated to LGBT females or women with a progressive mindset, takes over Gaasa tonight. (Gaasa – 8pm, 25 May)

FESTIVAL // Only Connect 2018 : The one and only experimental music event Only Connect is back this year with a two-day programme packed with different types of performances. (Sentralen & Skippergata – 25-26 May)

RELAUNCH // Gamla Konsert & Scene: The music venue on Grensen is not the go-to place for the cool kids, but hey, it’s been bought by a new owner and both the venue and the bar have received a facelift. DE SELSKAPSSJUKE + 1900-KULLET are the first bands performing in the rebooted venue this Saturday. (Gamla – 8pm 26 May)

FESTIVAL // Oslo Vegetarfestival 2018 : Oslo Vegetarian Festival is back this weekend! Eat and take pictures of all the deliciously instagrammable vegetarian food! (Kubaparken – 26-27 May)

Newbees…

Credit: Steph Hope

EATERY // GODT INNAFOR: A new eatery in Frogner that was opened in March. What catches our eyes is the pictures of scotch eggs in their brunch menu. (Skovveien 1)

MUSIC // Bjørn Torske – Clean Air: Bjørn Torske has dropped a new single Clean Air off his new album in eight years Byen (“the city”). With other tracks that also have titles that have to do with cities, it’s almost certain that the album has a coherent narrative about the city(Tromsø or Oslo?). It will be out on 6 July. WE CAN’T WAIT.
Label: Smalltown Supersound

MUSIC // Mae – Oslo: Rapper Mae has released a new music video for his new single Oslo, which is taken from his latest album Proletar Adel. Does this Oslo ring true to you? Label: Tee Productions

MUSIC // Orions Belte – Le Mans: The debut single from Orions Belte, Jansen Records’ new signing. The slacker mood and the animation made by Steph Hope are both remarkably mesmerising — a brilliant start. Label: Jansen Records

MUSIC // Pen Gutt – Independent: The debut single from Pen Gutt, a new artist signed by the new record label Luft. Label: Luft Recordings

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An Art Day Trip: Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium

Oh Oslo — Tue, 15 May 2018 13:02:45 +0000

When most of the population in Norway is busy preparing for the Norwegian national day (17 mai), in this week we took a diversion to go on a spontaneous art trip to Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium.

Our destination is Vestfossen, a village close to Drammen with a population of around 3000, an hour away from Oslo. Although it’s a beautiful area surrounded by picturesque nature, honestly we can’t think of a single reason to go there except for visiting the art space Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium (“art laboratory” in English).

The unique art laboratory in Norway

Founded by the “death-obsessed” Norwegian artist Morten Viskum, Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium was opened to public in 2003. Known for his morbid choice of materials, Viskum created a shockwave in the Norwegian art scene in 1995 with one of his early works Newborn rats on olive jars. His most famous work to date is a series called The Hand that Never Stopped Painting, in which he uses a severed hand as a brushstroke to make paintings with animal blood.

The background of its founder and its remote, obscure location pretty much sum up its unique positioning: an 1800-square-meter art space that is only open between May and October every year. While displaying works from artists all over the world, it puts an equal emphasis on Norwegian artists; it’s similar to Kunstnernes Hus, but it actually feels more internationally minded and less like a formal art institute, probably thanks to the derelict industrial interiors.

Originally a paper factory dating back to the late 19th century, the factory was not in use for nearly 30 years until Morten Viskum bought it in 2001. The blank walls with peeling paint, spare brick walls and rusty banisters from the original factory have remained untouched, radiating a sense of casualness and, not least, hipness, which makes the gallery cafe in the entrance hall instantly like a hip cafe you can easily find in East London or Berlin.

The exhibition of 2018 in the main building is a collective exhibition titled Contemporary Chaos. Curated by Italian curator and art critic Demetrio Paparoni, it showcases a diverse selection of works from the last decade by sixty artists who come from or have roots in countries that are often overlooked or marginsed in the dominant art narrative.

The show is a feast for the eyes, refreshing and chaotically entertaining. We really enjoy going through a basket of such varied works by lesser-known artists in a medium-size art space, which reminds us of the Saatchi Gallery in London, or as we like to describe it, art window shopping.

Two other exhibitions in the extension

At the end of the exhibition on the third floor you will find the extension of the original factory, a new modern building, which is home to two additional exhibition spaces — Exhibition Hall and Galleri Star. NOE MAA GAA I STYKKER (“Something has to break”), a collaboration between Bjarne Melgaard and Sverre Bjertnes, is this year’s exhibition in the tiny Galleri Star. The ten bronze sculptures in this show are originally part of their joint exhibition Den borgerlige byrde from earlier this year.

In 2018 the Exhibition Hall, the other major exhibition space of the VKL, pays host to the 39th edition of Østlandsutstillingen (The Eastern Norway Exhibition) — an annual group show that presents works submitted by artists based in south-east Norway.

Similar to Høstutstillingen (“The Autumn Exhibition or National Art Exhibition”) at Kunstnernes Hus, by judging the works anonymously, Østlandsutstillingen aims to give equal chances to all artists regardless of their experience and reputation.

“Reenactment/Process”, credit:Damir Advagic”

This year the jury selected 78 works among 2496 submissions; our highlight has got to be Damir Avdagic, a Bosnia and Herzegovina-born artist who now works and lives between Oslo and New York.

His works Prevodenje (Translation) from 2015 and Reenactment/Process from 2016 deal with the history of Ex-Yugoslavia and the transgenerational trauma inflicted by the turbulent breakup of Yugoslavia, taking an inventive approach to combine historic events and personal matters; both works are personal yet politically relevant testimonies to recount life in Ex-Yugoslavia.

Parting words…

Having spent around two hours at the VKL, our short getaway finally comes to an end. We sit on the patio to enjoy some elegant food and drinks from the cafe, basking in the sun for a while; and then we set off for a stroll in Vestfossen. It takes no more than 20 minutes for us to finish the walk and head back to Oslo. As we mentioned, despite the idyllic surrounding, this tiny town Vestfossen itself in fact has nothing much to offer; however, the VKL alone is well worth a visit — absolutely perfect for an art day trip.

Now we have got some fresh air and so we are finally ready for a sea of the red, white and blue flags and exuberant Osloers in their meticulous bunader frolicking in droves on the 17th May. Hipp, hipp hurra!

Oh! Oslo Weekly Digest & Weekend Plan (Week 18)

Newbee — Fri, 04 May 2018 09:39:54 +0000

This week has been quiet in Oslo thanks to the Workers’ Day on Tuesday. And the media have started to embrace the national day 17 Mai already. What’s happening? Read on to find out.

photo credit: Skjelvet (Fantefilm Fiksjon)

In this week…

Teaming up with the owners of Kulturhuset, the people behind Nord & Natt are turning their establishment on Tøyentorg into a full-blown cultural cafe/bar (kulturhuset/kulturaktivitetshus), which will be similar to the concept of Kulturhuset on Youngstorget. It’s expected to open in August. In case you don’t know, Tøyen is also going to have two more “cultural places” — Factory Tøyen and Kulturstedet.
Tøyen får sitt eget «Kulturhus»

After the reports of shootings on the streets of Vestli on last Saturday, the district Groruddalen, which is on the east side of Oslo, has been under the spotlight in the media. Extra police forces have been arranged to go on patrol during the night in the area, which has a high concentration of immigrants from the less wealthy parts of the world.
Politiet setter inn ekstra ressurser i Oslo-bydel

The journalists from NRK are somehow thrilled to see Oslo being destroyed for the first time on the big screen, boasting about the achievements of the upcoming Norwegian big-budget film The Quake (Skjelvet); it’s the first Norwegian film to use the visual effects and scenography that is more or less only used in the USA.
Slik ser det ut når Postgirobygget raser på film

Having come out as gay, Thee Yezen Al-Obaide, the leader of the organisation Salam, is campaigning for the rights of LGBT muslims.
Han vil lede homofile i bønn

Unlike the May Day protests in Paris, the Workers’ Day in Oslo is a peaceful, joyous occasion. See the pictures for yourself.
Drillpiker, anarkister, Donald Trump, hammer og sigd – 1. mai på Youngstorget hadde alt

What’s on this weekend…

Photo credit: Melk Galleri

ART // Linn Pedersen at Melk: It’s Linn Pedersen’s third solo exhibition at Melk. The focus this time will be on the series of photographs called Day for night, which refers to the cinematic techniques used to simulate a night scene while filming during the day. The opening is on Friday (4 May) at 7pm. (Melk – May)

Film // Mannen som elsket Yngve – 10 års jubileum! : This iconic Norwegian coming-of-age film has turned 10 years old! The film is about the main character Jarle, who has a girlfriend, has a crush on a boy called Yngve. Go watch it! (Cinemateket – 9pm, 4 May)

CLUB // Planet B pres.: André Bratten & Jonas Wiik : The club concept Planet B is bringing our favourite new electronic artist André Bratten together with Jonas Wiik at the Villa! (The Villa – 11pm, 4 May)

Community // Løkkadagene 2018, so it’s going to be a lot of happenings in Grünerløkka this weekend, including markets and different cultural and family activities. At Birkelunden this Saturday there will be the “leftover table (Overskuddsbord) again! (Grünerløkka — 5 – 6 May)

Community // Tøyenfest 2018 : It’s the day when Tøyen is lightened up by music, food, markets and activities! (Tøyen — 12pm-5pm – 5 May)

PUB CRAWL // Tom Waits-løpet 2018 . Fan of Tom Waits? Or simply want to get drunk and have a good time? Either way, join the biggest pub crawl in Norway. (Middelalderparken — 1pm, 5 May)

CONCERT // Soup & Bread med Frøkedal : The charity concert series Soup & Bread has invited singer-songwriter Frøkedal to play this Sunday. Frøkedal’s music is perfect for a Sunday evening, which is folkish, evocative and simply beautiful. (Kulturhuset — 3:30pm, 6 May)

New offerings…

GAME // Star Wars Battle Pod @ TILT: Our beloved gaming bar Tilt has got this gigantic arcade machine Star Wars Battle Pod! WOW! (TILT)

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The Best Norwegian Music of 2017

Newbee — Tue, 01 May 2018 15:51:37 +0000

Are you a music fan just like us who have a special interest in Scandinavian, or more specifically, Norwegian music?

From electronic acts like Todd Terje, Röyksopp, Lindstrøm, and Biosphere; to indie pop bands like John Olav Nilsen & Gjengen, Casiokids, and Serena-Maneesh; to free jazz names like Jenny Hval, Supersilent, Jaga Jazzist and Paal Nilssen-Love, many of our favourite musicians come from Norway. This made us convinced that we had to start off the journey of Oh Oslo, which is a creative investigation into Norwegian culture, with the music issue.

In addition to the interviews in the magazine, including a long conversation with Joakim Haugland, the man behind the electronic label Smalltown Supersound, and an email exchange with Rune Kristoffersen, the man behind the experimental label Rune Grammofon), we also provide a comprehensive look at the Norwegian music scene by listing out some essential records; the Norwegian albums of 2017 is one of them.

In this list, we tried to give an overview of the contemporary Norwegian music scene by displaying a good mix of the veterans and the new faces, picking the most creative and extraordinary releases across genres, from hip-hop, prog rock and indie pop to electronic, psychedelic rock and children’s music. The complete list of Norwegian albums of 2017 is as follows:

Tøyen Holding – Tøyen Holding (Mutual Intentions)
Aiming for Enrike – Las Napalmas (Pekula Records)
Broen – I <3 Art (Su Tissue Records)
Charlotte Dos Santos – Cleo (Fresh Selects)
Carmen Villain – Infinite Avenue (Smalltown Supersound)
Billie Van – Pure Emotions (Braveheart Records)
The Modern Times – This Is The Modern Times (Drabant Music)
Ghost Karaoke – Ghost Karaoke (Metronomicon Audio)
Motorpsycho – The Tower (Rune Grammofon)
Bjørn Torske / Prins Thomas – Square One (Smalltown Supersound)
Sunshine Reverberation – Sunshine Reverberation (Westegaard Records)
Whales & This Lake – Send A Man Down (Koke Plate)
Wobbler – From Silence to Somewhere (Karisma Records)
Tusmørke – Bydyra (Karisma Records)
Baya – Oslo – Harlem (Luft Recordings)
Daniel Kvammen – Vektlaus (Jansen Records)
Lüt – Pandion (Bukta Records)
PRTLVX – Transcendental Sorcery (Fysisk format)

We also prepared a party playlist for our release party earlier, which contains some of the songs from the list and some outstanding singles that are not on our list.

Apple Music

(Correction: “Tusmørka -> Tusmørke” / “Fyfisk Format” -> “Fysisk Format”)

Order your copy of Oh Oslo – The Music Issue now! Free international shipping!

Oh! Oslo Weekly Digest & Weekend Plan (Week 17)

Newbee — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 09:54:16 +0000

Hva skjer? What’s up? What’s happened? What’s happening? What’s new? What to do in Oslo this weekend? Which art exhibition to see? What to eat? Worry not, we have all the answers here.

photo credit: Jørund F. Pedersen via traavik.info

In this week…

The art installation Frode’s Border by the high-profile artist Morten Traavik, who made the film Liberation Day with Laibach in North Korea, was installed this week at 7. juni-plassen outside the office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Oslo. Responding to the case of the Norwegian detainee Frode Berg who was arrested on suspicion of spying in Russia, Frode’s Border, which was originally set up in Kirkenes in February, is aimed to remind us of Berg’s situation and the tensions between Norway and Russia.
Kunstner vil sette opp grensestolper utenfor UD til støtte for Berg

Good news for the music industry! The total sale of recorded music in 2017 grew by 3.7% according to the new report for 2017 by IFPI.
Fortsatt vekst i musikksalget

The russ celebration period (Russetiden) is in full swing now. Despite having the knowledge that sex and alcohol are the basic combo of the whole celebration, it’s still shockingly sad to learn that 16 rapes were reported last year and every third of them happened when there were other people witnessing. Party responsibly, RUSS!
Hver tredje voldtekt skjedde mens andre så på

Fronted by the popular TV personality Line Elvsåshagen, the last episode of the four-part documentary series Planet Plast was broadcast on Monday. This series has raised awareness of plastic waste in Norway and now articles about how to reduce our use of plastic are popping up everywhere. It’s about time!
Alle snakker om at du må bruke mindre plast – men hvordan skal du gjøre det?

The iconic Norwegian artist Pushwagner(Terje Brofos) died on Tuesday at the age of 77.
Pushwagner er død

The ceremony of the book design competition the Most Beautiful Books of 2018 (Årets vakreste Bøker 2018) took place on Wednesday. Until 20 May you can see all the winning books at R21.
ÅRETS VAKRESTE BØKER 2018

What’s on this weekend…

Photo credit: Kunstnernes Hus

ART // DET FELLES EIDE: It’s your last chance to see the exhibition at Kunstnernes Hus at this weekend. It’s an exhibition of works in the public space in Oslo. (Kunstnernes Hus – 2 March – 29 April)

ART // Visning: House Viewing is a new show at the Architecture Museum about the history and future of the housing development in Oslo. (Nasjonalmuseet – Arkitektur – 27 April – 18 November)

Festival // HMD Weekend 2018: The Oslo-based cassette-focused record label HMD is organising a music weekend. Gigs and DJ-sets will be held in various venues — The Villa, Revolver, Oslovelo. (27 – 28 April)

Concert // 20 years and still going – Anniversary Party!: The Blå’s long-term resident Frank Znort Quartet is turning 20 years old! To mark this important moment, there will be 13 concerts starting in the afternoon before FZQ plays at 10pm. Free entry! (Blå – 2:00pm, 29 April)

Shopping // No. 13s brukt vinyl-marked på No. 53, the newly established record label Plateselskapet No. 13 that focuses on political music(kampsang) is holding a market selling second-hand vinyls. All profits go to support the record label. A good cause! (No.53 – 1pm – 4pm, 28 April)

Community // Dyrk nabolaget! 2018: A series of urban gardening events and courses are happening over this weekend! It’s market day on Saturday, including a farmers’ market and sales of plants and seeds. (Schweigaards gate 34 – 28 – 29 April)

FILM // Cinema Sunday: Repeal The 8th Fundraiser : The Dubliner pub next to the City Hall is hosting a special screening of the hit Irish film The Young Offenders to raise money for “Together 4 Yes – the civil society campaign to Repeal the 8th Amendment in Ireland” — a campaign to liberalise the strict abortion laws in Ireland. After the screening an interview with Derek Foott, one of the editors on the film, will take place. The Young Offenders is one of our favourite comedies from recent years. So, go support it! (The Dubliner – 7:30pm, 29 April)

Shopping // FilmMessen – våren 2018, a film fair organised by Kinomagasinet and Videomagasinet where You can buy products from DVDs and blurays to toys and posters. (Cinemateket – 10am – 6pm, 28 April)

SHOPPING // Trade Night Oslo, a clothing swap organised by Trade Day. Get your unwanted clothes ready and go swap! Free entry. (Sentralen – 5pm – 8pm, 28 April)

SHOPPING // Bondens marked Valkyrie plass, the regular farmers’ market is back this Saturday in Majorstuen. (Valkyrie plass – 10am – 4pm, 28 April)

SHOPPING // Art Market @ Ingensteds is the new DIY/craft/art market in town! We have no clue how it will be like but we are excited to find out ourselves by selling Oh Oslo – The Music Issue there! Come and join us! (12-6pm, 28 April)

New offerings…

FOOD // VEGAN Pizza @ Peppes Pizza: The pizza chain Pepper Pizza has added two vegan pizzas with Oumph! on the menu. (Peppes Pizza)

FOOD // Protein-is, the first protein-fortified ice cream available in the major supermarkets. We have tried the protein pasta we introduced last week and it tasted absolutely atrocious — probably the worst food we have tasted. So, unless you have an urgent need for protein, we advise you to stay away from all these products.

FOOD // La Vida Chocolate Spread: These vegan chocolate spreads from the Dutch manufacturer La Vida are incredibly delicious. Vegan but still delicious, an absolute winner.

NEWBEES…

Photo credit: Tunco

APP // Bake’n Go, a new app that lets home bakers sell their bakes to anyone through the app. Basically like Airbnb for bakers.

APP // Last Call: A new app that lets you get the last-minute event tickets at discounted rates. Their new partner is Vulkan Arena. We love the concept and think it’s a win-win situation for both the venues and customers! Check it out!

EATERY // TUNCO in Frogner: To celebrate the opening of the new branch in Forgner, Tunco is offering 50% discount on all the food in the new shop from this Friday to next Friday (27th April – 4 May)! If you live in Frogner, perhaps go greet these beanie-wearing lads and eat some noodles?

EATERY // Freddy Fuego Burrito Bar on Tjuvholmen : The popular burrito bar on Hausmannsgata has opened up a new branch on Tjuvholmen.

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Newbee

Orions Belte: The New Shiny Stars From The Northern Sky

Hi Øyvind! Can you tell us who stand behind Orions Belte? And what are your music influences?

Could you tell us why the band is called Orions Belte?

Orions Belte came about when in 2016 Chris and Øyvind met and decided to start an instrumental band together. Can you tell us more about it? And why did you choose to form an instrumental band in particular?

How did Kim join the band?

All of you have done and been involved in a lot of projects before starting Orions Belte. If we want to get to know more about your preceding music, which projects should we check out? Young Dreams? El Cuero? Great News? And what are your proudest works so far?

Artist Steph Hopes has produced some amazing work for the sleeve designs and music videos. Whose idea is it?

In your official press release, your debut album Mint is described to be fitting for parties. Is “fitting for parties” a great concern for your music?

What bands does Orions Belte look up to and take inspiration from?

How about Norwegian music influence? Who did you listen to growing up? And which acts are your favourites now?

You are the only one living in Oslo, what would you say about the city? And while all of you are based in different cities, where did Orions Belte make and record the music?

Oh! Oslo Weekly Digest & Weekend Plan (Week 24)

In this week…

What’s on this weekend…

Newbees in Oslo…

Newbees in Music…

VIGGO, The Pop Group That Dares to be Arty and Honest

Hi VIGGO! We know you are Sjur Miljeteig, Charlotte Qvale and Marte Wulff, but considering that press releases and wikipedia probably don’t do you justice, could you introduce yourselves in your own words?

We know that VIGGO is an interdisciplinary pop group, meaning that you are combining other art forms with music. So what can we expect from a VIGGO’s performance? Will it be similar to a theatre performance or an art installation?

What are the inspirations for VIGGO? What groups do you look up to, or take inspiration from?

How did you get to know Antero Hein and Geir Hytten? What is the connection?

Is it intentional to use a male actor to mediate the female singing music of VIGGO? S: No, Geir would have been the body of VIGGO even if he had been born a woman. Gender is insignificant.

Okay, let’s focus on the new single Be One. Can you tell us more about the background of the song? Has one of the members gone through some disruptive relationships lately?

What can we expect from your upcoming singles? And what can we expect from the album?

Last but not least, as we are obsessed with Oslo, can you share your relationship to Oslo with us? Where in Oslo do you think VIGGO’s music fits the best?

Oh! Oslo Weekly Digest & Weekend Plan (Week 23)

In this week…

What’s on this weekend…

Newbees in Oslo…

Newbees in Music…

Oh! Oslo Weekly Digest & Weekend Plan (Week 22)

In this week…

What’s on this weekend…

Newbees…

Oh! Oslo Weekly Digest & Weekend Plan (Week 21)

In this week…

What’s on this weekend…

Newbees…

An Art Day Trip: Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium

The unique art laboratory in Norway

Two other exhibitions in the extension

Parting words…

Oh! Oslo Weekly Digest & Weekend Plan (Week 18)

In this week…

What’s on this weekend…

New offerings…

The Best Norwegian Music of 2017

Oh! Oslo Weekly Digest & Weekend Plan (Week 17)

In this week…

What’s on this weekend…

New offerings…

NEWBEES…

Is it intentional to use a male actor to mediate the female singing music of VIGGO?

S: No, Geir would have been the body of VIGGO even if he had been born a woman. Gender is insignificant.