Heldén Marhaug Nordwall: When The Ice Is Leaving, Scandinavia Is Burning
CD - Firework Edition, Sweden - 2005 - FER1059

Review:

KOEFF - PERFORMANCE ARCHAEOLOGY (CD by Firework Edition Records)
HENRIK ANDERSSON (CD by Firework Edition Records)
JOHANNES HELDEN & LASSE MARHAUG & JOACHIM NORDWALL - WHEN THE ICE IS LEAVING SCANDINAVIA IS BURNING (CD by Firework Edition Records)
Up until 2002 we regularly reviewed CDs by Firework Edition Records, usually three at a time. In 2004 we reviewed just one and then things went all quite. I don't know what happened in the meantime, but these three proof they are back. Firwork Edition Records operate on the boundaries of performance art, serious modern classical work and noise. And you might stumble upon a new name or two you never heard of. Koeff for instance? There are extensive liner notes, but who Koeff is who, I don't know, other than a female artist. Upon reading the liner notes we learn that she does performances using vacuum cleaners, washing machines and other household gear. Probably, I don't know, a comment on the traditional position of women responsible for household jobs? Koeff uses her voice along these household appliances, which is a pretty noisy affair. I can't say that I'm overtly blown away by this work.
Also Henrik Andersson is a new name for me. He was born in 1973 and works within visual art, performance and music. 'Using sound, music and language as material his interest could be said to take aim at the concept of translation'. His self-titled CD is his first solo CD and is varied bunch of works. Pieces of music, installations and 'self playing art objects'. You will hear a piece of made with a double bass, toy car and horse hair playing itself, a SMS message read by a computer voice, but also a piece for water, glass and filter sound system and a piece for modified bass and drums. The latter is a free rock piece and probably comes closest to real music, but also falls a bit apart with the rest of the CD. Normally music that is so much art that it becomes unlistenable is not well spend on me, but this utter varied bunch of music and concepts is executed quite well.
Joachim Nordwall (Skulff Defekts, Ideal Records label boss) and Lasse Marhaug (Norway's answer to Merzbow) team up with one Johannes Helden, at least on a couple of occasions between 2002 and 2005 to work on their CD, which uses field recordings as it's prime source, but which were later computer processed. With the names of Nordwall and Marhaug you could all too easily think we are dealing here with strong hard powernoise, but that is not the case. Throughout these seven pieces, there is a strong sense of control. None of the field recordings can be recognized as such, but controlled static crackling and drone related sounds form the backbone of these pieces. It could as easily be actually one piece of music, divided in seven parts, as there is a sense of continuity in all of these pieces. This work could have been released by Line as well, for it carries the same carefulness and similar acoustic esthetic. Music-wise the best of this new trio. (FdW, Vital Weekly)

Heldén Marhaug Nordwall: When the ice is leaving, Scandinavia is burning CD It's a three-piece that is responsible für Firework Editions' latest output. Johannes Heldén, Lasse Marhaug (known from a.o. Testicle Hazard) and Joachim Nordwall (member of Alvars Orkester, label manager of Ideal Organisation) are not unknown in the Scandinavian experimental scene. With the help of field recordings they created seven electronic soundscapes, which are dark in nature. This album slowly builds it's tension during the 38 minutes. Heading off with a calm soundtrack, the CD continues with a combination of a dark undercurrent and concrete undefineable sounds on top of it. During the next track things get slightly more concrete as if one is listening to an instrumental radioplay with lots of tension. One hears mysterious crackles, strange footsteps and somebody doing secret (?) things. The shortest piece reminds of tickling clocks and the composition Let there be nothing can be compared with electronic cockroaches, ending with deep fluctuating rhythmic drones. Beautiful dark sounds have been featured on this recording and an excellent sound quality makes this output compete. (Paul Bijlsma/ Phosphor Magazine)