Biosphere / Deathprod – Nordheim Transformed

Beyond words. Just out of this world good. Favorite track Warble

Very dark, sometimes abstract. Biosphere and Deathprod took turns "transforming" and manipulating fellow Norwegian (and electronic music pioneer) Arne Nordheim's original recordings.

The result is satisfying. I think Biosphere's influence restrained Deathprod, as there isn't as much of the noise and dissonance associated with their other releases. It's also a landmark Biosphere release because it was the first release after the masterpiece "Substrata" and saw Jenssen turning even further away from his origins in pop electronica and more towards experimental and classically-influenced music.

There is a spare and melancholy northern European aestheticism here, with drones and tones winning out over traditional musical structure. I don't think the artists set out to intentionally make "dark ambient" music, it just kind of turned out that way.

This is music for lonely winter nights, for abandoned warehouses, and rocky arctic coastlines...

I love this release and treat it as part of the trilogy with Polar frequencies, Live In Birmingham (H.I.A). It is the poorer of the three, but plays well in the same vein, try putting all three releases on MP3 and play continuously and seamlessly. A point to note, this release is sold as a double pack with Arnie Nordheim "Electric" at a special reduced price direct from the label.

Well done Rune Grammofon!

It is a highly evocative and original album, but the lack of structure emerges from time to time.