Slangen i Edens have

Kasper Bjørke Quartet: »Mother«

Den bibelske skabelsesberetning begynder med, at Gud skaber lyset. Straks bliver han enig med sig selv om, at lys er godt, men mørket, der tidligere fyldte hele universet, forsvinder ikke: Som lysets skumle antitese er det altid til stede. På Mother – komponisten Kasper Bjørkes fortolkning af klodens evolution fra dens spæde formation til menneskets nært forkomne udryddelse – er mørket dog ofte meget svært at få øje på: Jordens første milliarder år iscenesættes med blød synth, sørgmodige strygere og forsigtig marimba; lyden vibrerer lyst, varmt og luftigt som en solstråle gennem et støvet vindue. Æstetikken er storladen, som noget Hans Zimmer ville komponere til en Science Fiction-film, om end synthesizeren og marimbaen til tider placerer albummet tættere på den form for New Age-musik, der i 90'erne dukkede op på de ganske charmerende Moods-opsamlinger.

1. Mosebog skal selvsagt ikke ses som nogen form for facitliste. Når jeg alligevel nævner den, skyldes det, at Bjørke selv virker opsat på at skildre klodens evolution som en syndefaldsmyte: Helt teleologisk bevæger jorden sig fra en tilstand af harmonisk lyksalighed til undergang, og som slangen i Edens have er det mennesket, der bringer Jorden i forfald. Først på albummets sidste kompositioner – med de udpenslende titler »Anthropocene« og »Tipping Point« – begynder mørket og kaosset at ulme i lydbilledet. Albummets eskatologiske fortælling, hvor menneskets undergang også er Jordens, forekommer mig lige lovligt antropocentrisk. Det er en skam for albummet lyder smukt: Et perfekt ambient lydtæppe til kølig efterårssol og søvnige togture. Desværre vakler Mother for mig under vægten af sit eget ambitiøse koncept.

playlist

06.04

My name is Håkon Berre – would you like to see my playlist?

»Music for me is a world full of sound that you can explore, juggle with, systematize, be inspired by and form a starting point for meetings between people across cultures and generations.«

Håkon Berre (b. 1980) has made his mark as a central figure on the Danish improvised music scene. His practice is characterized by an expanded approach to percussion, where both traditional instruments and everyday objects – such as doorbells, tin plates, chains and kitchen utensils – are included in a nuanced and often unpredictable sonic expression. He has performed at clubs and festivals internationally and collaborated with a wide range of notable musicians, including Peter Brötzmann, Phil Minton, Axel Dörner, John Tchicai, Jamie Branch and Otomo Yoshihide. Berre contributes to an extensive discography with more than 40 releases, many of which on the artist-run label Barefoot Records, which he co-founded. He has also composed and arranged music for theatre and exhibitions, and worked on interactive sound installations shown in museums in Denmark and Germany. He is active in a number of ensembles and collaborations, including Ytterlandet, TEETH, VÍÍK and Mirror Matter, as well as in various duo and quartet constellations.

playlist

03.04

My name is James Black – would you like to see my playlist?

»Music is a deep, but not serious, spiritual practice, in which creator, collaborator, and consumer alike are their own personal pope.«

James Black (b. 1990) is a composer, performer, and artistic director of Klang Festival – Copenhagen Experimental Music. Originally from Bristol, England, they moved to Copenhagen in 2013. Black's works have attracted a large amount of attention both nationally and internationally for their signature combination of artistic courage and vulnerability, described by the Danish Arts Council as »a universe of real madness where everything goes«. Their work is a deep and personal exploration of topics such as religion, loss, and queer identity, that is unafraid to be stupid or serious in any direction.

playlist

02.04

My name is Christian Juncker – would you like to see my playlist?

»Music is just something for me.«

Christian Juncker is a Danish musician and songwriter who has released a number of Danish-language albums. He debuted in 1995 with the band Bloom. Together with his friend Jakob Groth Bastiansen, he formed the duo Juncker in 2002. He is also behind the Christmas carol »Luk julefreden ind« from 2024.

playlist

01.04

My name is Idan Elmalem – would you like to see my playlist?

»Music, for me, reveals the emptiness of boundaries and definitions – in consciousness, in space, and in music itself.«

Idan Elmalem is an oud player and composer working across world and popular music, now presenting his debut instrumental EP and live performance project. Following years of collaboration within the Israeli music scene, he turns toward a more personal and intimate musical voice, blending traditional oud with a contemporary sensibility. Influenced by his studies with master Nissim Dakwar, Elmalem’s music explores the space between tradition and innovation. His debut EP, Time, features three live-recorded pieces that move between past, present, and future, combining classical Arabic and Persian elements with jazz, minimalism, and cinematic sound. Based in Tel Aviv, Elmalem draws on his Moroccan-Danish heritage in his work. He is a graduate of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Ethnomusicology at the University of Haifa, alongside his work as a player and composer.

31.03

Local Forces Behind New Electronic Festival in Aalborg

On May 29, the Aalborg-based collective Datahaven9000 takes over the venue Skråen, transforming its main hall into a concentrated one-day festival of electronic music. The event is part of the concert series Bystanders #3, where the stage is handed over to local scenes rather than the venue’s in-house programming.