If I told you my album was ready, would you believe me? Well, you shouldn't, because it isn't actually completely finished yet, but we're working on it every day, and soon it will be for everyone to listen to. It will be released in Norway the 8th of February next year (a date I have had in mind for more than a year now) on Impeller Recordings, a sub label of Propeller, which I've always been a huge fan of (Hanne Hukkelberg's music is the reason why). Impeller is a completely new label, with artists such as Kobert (jazz), Far From Tellus (folk) and Cuckoo (electropop), all to be released pretty soon.

I'm happy, relieved, inspired and still pushing it. February the 8th will be a great day, and I'm looking forward to start sharing for real.

with all the fair chocolate in the world
Pål

My greatest fear for the album recording process has always been the thought of not being able to finish the album at all - ten days is after all not an eternity, and at least not when you have drowned yourself in thoughts a little too big for your head. We've been struggeling a lot with how to approach each and every song. Some have been done in layers, instrument for instrument and with a lot of arrangements and afterthought. Others have been recorded as plain live sessions, sitting in a circle with candlelight in the middle of us. Whatever approach you choose, it always gives you a real kick to hear the words "this was the take", and you know for sure you've found the right way to do things, and from there it is just a matter of getting things done.

12 times in these last 7 days have those blessed words filled the room with an aftertaste of excitement and proudness, one for each song that has had its take. Now, with 3 days left in Iceland, I can't really do anything but try to breath inbetween all the adjustments, addings, removings, replacements, fixing and mixing. Today, we've been working for 13 hours at a stretch, though mildly interrupted by Sigga Sunna's and Björn's marvellous meals that somehow always seem to appear at the right time. Ofelia and her cello have both left us, Jørgen and his drums have done their job and are heading straight on for a tour with My Little Pony all over Europe, starting tomorrow. Christine and Katrine have done their part, adding cello and violin, and Einar's piano is all over the record. Now it is mostly down to me to try and stitch it all together, tie the songs to each other and make it sound like an album. I'm in the best possible place for making that happen.

Yesterday, we had a day off from studio, so we held a small concert in Reykjavik instead, just to keep ourselves warm. A lot of people showed up, and even tough half of them were Norwegians, it was great to be standing on a stage again. I know that's where I belong, but studio these days doesn't seem to bad, either. Three days left now. Better get some sleep. Good night, and see you around!

Pål













Photos: Mira Wold.

De siste fem dagene har jeg blitt introdusert for et knippe nye ord som kan være greie å ha i bakhodet når man skal spille inn et album. Etter å ha gjort samme sangen om og om igjen, på jakt etter det perfekte opptaket og de gylne øyeblikkene, blir man skummelt bevisst på alt man gjør, fra toner til pusting til sittestilling, og begynner å tenke mer på hva man gjøre enn hvordan det høres ut. Det kalles overthinking - overtenking - og kan være bortimot dødelig på småstressede produksjoner som denne.

I tillegg er jeg veldig vant med at man som vokalist kan stå på en scene og virkelig bare gi jernet når man vil, og håpe på at det blir fint. I studio er det ikke helt sånn, ettersom selv den minste ulyd i synginga vil få opptaket til å høres helt hårreisende intenst ut. Det kalles overdoing - i alle fall er det det Valgeir kaller det, og prøver flittig å roe meg ned når jeg gir for mye av det gode. Det føles kjemperart, men høres fint ut til slutt. Han vet nok hva han snakker om, selv om han snakker engelsk.

Ting nærmer seg en form, og vi har skisser for nesten alle låtene, mens noen til og med er ferdige. Det er mye å lære og mye å skjønne, men vi lærer og skjønner etter hvert som dagene går. Og jeg har fått tre postkort hjemmefra, fra folk som ønsker oss lykke til. Det gjør godt.

Pål

Ahoy everyone! Early in May, we did a concert at Parkteatret in Oslo, which both felt and sounded a little bit warmer and better than usual. Sound magician Daniel recorded the whole concert and made a small sample CD with six of the songs from that night on it. If you want me to send you a copy, you're more than welcome to send me a message with name and postal address, and I'll send it to you as soon as I can find stamps and envelopes. If you want one for a friend or two as well, just give me a note. I won't even charge you for the stamps.

By the way: does anyone know where Winnie-the-Pooh lives? Me and Einar are going to England tomorrow and have no idea about where to go, but I figured that paying a visit to my favourite bear would be a nice thing to do.

All good,
Pål