Dusted reviews the Arve Henriksen (Supersilent) solo album "Chiaroscuro": http://www.dustedmagazine.com/reviews/1553

Streaming playlist: Instrumental

Supersilent's concert in Oslo this coming August will be filmed for an eventual DVD release on Rune Grammofon. Kim Hiorthøy will direct and it should be out sometime early next year.

I am unbelievably stoked: Supersilent and Jaga Jazzist are playing a show together at the SF Jazz Festival on November 4 at the Great American Music Hall. I'm not sure when tickets go on sale, but I'll most certainly be in attendance. Look for more California dates to be announced soon.

The press release for the new solo release "Chiaroscuro" from highly regarded Norwegian avant-jazz trumpist Arve Henriksen:

"Chiaroscuro" is the follow-up to this fantastic trumpet player's debut album, the much acclaimed "Sakuteiki" from 2001 (RCD2021). This time he is joined by drummer Audun Kleive and sound artist Jan Bang to create some very beautiful musical soundscapes where the trumpet is the natural focal point. There's also more room for Arve's wordless singing, sometimes used to stunning effect with Supersilent. As with "Sakuteiki", "Chiaroscuro" is recorded on locations in Norway, but this time in concert situations. The final selections have been chosen by Arve himself and treated and mixed by Jan Bang and Erik Honoré. The album's title comes from the Italian word meaning light and shade, referring to the technique of using these elements to achieve an illusion of depth in two-dimensional works of art and later in moving pictures, cue the titles of the individual tracks on the album.

Look for it May 25 in Norway via Rune Grammofon, June 6 in the US.

Arve Henriksen's (Supersilent) new solo album "Chiaroscuro" has been confirmed for a Norwegian release on May 24 from Rune Grammofon. Other releases in the works from the acclaimed avant label include Scorch Trio and Nils Økland along with possibly Alog and/or Phonophani.

Upcoming live dates for Supersilent:

07/03 - Jazz Festival Ljubljana (SLO)
07/05 - Copenhagen Jazzfestival (DK)
07/27 - Canal Street, Arendal (NOR)
09/03 - Trondheim Jazzfestival, Norway (NOR)

Word on the street has it that Supersilent will be playing the All Tomorrow's Parties Festival in East Essex, UK on March 27. Unless you already have tickets this probably doesn't matter much because it's sold out.

Arve and Ståle of Supersilent will tour the UK with Norwegian drummer Audun Kleive as the group Generator X:

03/18 - The Wardrobe, Leeds
03/19 - The Shedmalton
03/20 - The Spitz, London
03/21 - Custard Factory, Birmingham

The winners of Norway's Alarm Awards:

Pop: Magnet
Rock: Turbonegro
Jazz: Supersilent
Lydverketprisen: Karin Park
Metal: Dimmu Borgir
Video: Paperboys - Hey Man
Live: Turbonegro
Hip Hop/Rap: Equicez
Petreprisen: Ephemera
Electronica: Ralph Myerz & The Jack Herren Band

Deathprod aka Helge Sten (Supersilent, ex-Motorpsycho) recently finished mixing the new project "On", a collaboration between Chicago-based percussionist Steve Hess and French artist Sylvain Chauveau. The music is described as "calm improv" and it should be out sometime this fall. Look for the duo to tour the US this spring, too.

The new Veslefrekk album "Vals" featuring the core trio of Jarle, Ståle and Arve from Supersilent will be out in April on NorCD.

Supersilent will be playing the Vossajazz Festival in Norway on April 3 with Terje Rypdal sitting in on guitar. Other confirmed artists for the fest include Xploding Plastix and Ralph Myerz & The Jack Herren Band. Details: http://www.vossajazz.no/

BBC Jazz on 3 has an in-studio session with Food, the Norweigan jazz combo that features Supersilent trumpeter Arve Henriksen alongside bass and electronics player Mats Eilertson, drummer Thomas Strønen and English saxophonist Iain Ballamy. Listen here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/jazz/jon3/jon3030207ffood.shtml

Other notables/honorable mentions:

Cult of Luna - The Beyond & s/t reissue (Earache)
Crushing doom in the vein of Neurosis and Isis, but with a touch of something else that separates them from the rest of the imitators. Hopefully these guys will tour the US because I bet they kill live.

Shout Out Louds - Howl Howl Gaff Gaff (Bud Fox)
Broder Daniel - Cruel Town (Dolores)
These are two of the best Swedish indiepop records this year and I think I actually like the former a bit more than the latter. Broder Daniel has some better songs when taken on their own, but the Shout Out Louds made a better album. I was hoping the latest Bad Cash Quartet would rate too, but it was a huge disappointment.

Zyklon - Aeon (Candlelight)
Ex-Emperor guitarist Samoth proves he can move on and still make quality music. One of the few black-metal releases this year that really caught my interest. Either the scene is stagnant or I've lost interest, not sure.

Motorpsycho & Jaga Jazzist Horns - In the Fishtank (Konkurrent)
It's about time the rest of the world was exposed to these guys. I can do without that one awful funk track, but the rest of this is great stuff. Hopefully the increased international profile of this release will help them get their own music recognized and appreciated.

Randy - Welfare Problems (Burning Heart)
I don't listen to much punk-rock these days, but Randy always delivers. Looking forward to the US tour in February.

The Cardigans - Long Gone Before Daylight (Stockholm Records)
I was really put off by the mellow 70s vibe at first, but once I got over it I found out there were some pretty great songs here. Definitely not what I was expecting, but worth a second glance if you passed it over before.

Ricochets - Ghost of Our Love (White Jazz)
Tiger Lou - Trouble And Desire (Startracks)
Mustasch - Ratsafari (Majesty/Capitol)
Seven Feet Four - Departure/Arrival (Coalition)
Four solid releases from four very different acts. Nothing life changing here, but all still quite good and definitely worth investigating.

Jaga Jazzist - The Stix (Smalltown Supersound)
Supersilent - 6 (Rune Grammofon)
v/a - Money Will Ruin Everything 2xCD + Book (Rune Grammofon)
Norway is really a hotbed for experimental genre-expanding music right now and these three releases are a great place to start. You won't find that elusive "next big thing" here, just music that will make you think. Both Smalltown Supersound and Rune Grammofon are labels to keep an eye on.