in brief
11.10.2021

Dråber fra en ukendt måne

Janet Beat: »Pioneering Knob Twiddler«
Janet Beat. © PR
Janet Beat. © PR

Hvorfor give en 83-årig dames debutalbum med musik, der er ældre end de flestes fædre, et lyt? Bag goddag-mand-økseskaft-titlen Pioneering Knob Twiddler er skotske Janet Beat, som skabte elektronisk musik i 50’erne, og som samtiden ikke har anerkendt på samme niveau som de ligesindede, kvindelige pionerer Delia Derbyshire og Daphne Oram. Så nu det Beats tur til den retroaktive hyldests spotlight.  



»Dancing On Moonbeams« lyder som sin titel – kaskader af oscillerende sinusbølger, der daler ned over lytteren som dråber fra en ukendt måne. Lige så interessant er »Echoes of Bali«, der minder om en opdagelsesrejsende, der genskaber den lokale, balinesiske gamelanmusik, ud fra et fjernt minde. Selv på den 12 minutter lange »A Willow Swept By Train« mærkes historiens vingesus i den efterbehandlede guitar og den stigende sinustone, der peger frem mod noget fra Kraftwerks helt tidlige præ-Autobahn plader. Kraut før kraut.

Beats debut er måske ikke den stærkeste opsamling af klangkunst derude, men spor af alt fra Aphex Twin til Pink Floyd i hendes abstrakte lydsider er nok til, at denne historiske samling fortjener et lyt af alle med en sund interesse for elektronisk musik. 

© PR

»For me, music is incredibly important. It is music that reveals who I am and who I want to be. Music is my muse, my solace, and my paintbrush. It paints my state of mind, serves as a frequent topic of conversation among my friends, and – along with the lyrics – acts as my preferred form of expression. To me, music represents the colors and shapes of my life. I have a particular fondness for Danish artists such as C.V. Jørgensen, Elisabeth, Olesen-Olesen, Peter Sommer, and Gravens Rand.«

Søren Damm is an award-winning author known for the novels Transit, Melodrama, and Finland. He is also a singer and songwriter, having released, among other works, the album Håbet Er Den Største Last.

© Paw Ager

»For me, music is about curiosity and surprises – yet it’s also something in which you can feel right at home. Music resides within us all, in a physical way that sets it apart from any other art form. To me, music is something greater than the individual – something that will always outlive the individual. The good stuff, in other words ;) « 

Kaspar Kaae is an award-winning film composer, music producer, and songwriter, known for his work with bands such as CODY and Bug Chaser. He holds a Master’s degree in film composition from SDMK.  He has previously been a guitarist in a number of bands on the Danish indie scene, such as CODY, Broken Twin, and Bug Chaser. The latter is releasing the album My First Crippled Love in November. He was born in 1983 on Bornholm, but has lived in Copenhagen and Berlin throughout his adult life.

© PR

»Music is like a black hole that sucks you in and shoots you out on the other side of the universe.«

Francesco Rista is a guitarist working across classical and electric guitar. His recordings have been reviewed by international music magazines and broadcast on BBC and RAI Radio 3. After studying at the Royal Danish Academy of Music and Lund University, he focused on studio recordings, exploring guitar repertoire from the Baroque and Romantic periods to contemporary music, as well as the instrument’s varied tonal possibilities. Rista is currently based in Iceland, where he teaches guitar, composes music, and collaborates with contemporary composers.

 

© Villads Hoffmann
© Villads Hoffmann

Percussionist and composer David Hildebrandt is honoured for his virtuosic work with new music and his efforts to push the boundaries of what rhythm can be.

David Hildebrandt is among the recipients of this year’s honorary awards from the Wilhelm Hansen Foundation. He receives DKK 200,000 in recognition of his uncompromising work with new music and multi-percussion, as well as his ability to challenge conventional ideas about rhythm.

© Thor Brødreskift
© Thor Brødreskift
The 2026 Nordic Council Music Prize goes to Norwegian composers Kristine Tjøgersen and Benedicte Maurseth for Elja, a suite for the Kronos Quartet and Hardanger fiddle.
 
Rationale