EL/NeUe – Krank (Album – Kulturinstutisjonen Piivv)
Genre/Influences: Experimental, New-Wave.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: “Krank” is the first physical release by Norwegian formation EL/NeUe in 34 years. The band doesn’t release new work on a regular basis, but has now released an opus of eleven songs. EL/NeUe is driven by Askild Hagen (vocals, synth, bass) and Og Håkon Johnson (guitars, bass, synth) while Liv Anna Hagen contributed as backing vocalist on two songs.
Content: It’s pretty hard to defy the sound universe of this formation. It’s a versatile production, which is mainly driven by Electronics, but still features guitar playing. The songs are switching reverie and sonic mayhem, pure electro-Minimalism and good-old New-Wave reminiscences. Most of the vocals have been sung in their Mother tongue in a rather whispering way.
+ + + : The main strength of this work is its atypical approach. EL/NeUe definitely sounds like a sonic trip mixing different influences. My favorite aspect is the deep, vibrating bass lines.
– – – : I don’t know what to think of this band; I don’t have the feeling they’re taking themselves that serious, but result isn’t always that exciting.
Conclusion: EL/NeUe is maybe somewhat renown in their homeland, but I’m afraid it will be hard to catch the attention of a wider audience.
Best songs: “Så Fant De Ikke På Noe Mer Å Si”, “
(I Wish I Was) Billie Eilish’ Grandmother (Album Edit)”.
Rate: 5.
Artist: www.kampenkontor.no / www.facebook.com/NeueEL
Since you’re here … … we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading Side-Line Magazine than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. And unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can. So you can see why we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we want to push the artists we like and who are equally fighting to survive. If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps fund it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as 5 US$, you can support Side-Line Magazine – and it only takes a minute. Thank you. The donations are safely powered by Paypal.
