• Track Listing

This is the debut release by Box: Raoul Björkenheim (guitars, viola da gamba), Trevor Dunn (bass), Ståle Storløkken (keyboards, electronics), Morgan Ågren (drums). Something of an international supergroup, the founding of this excellent ensemble is a touch of genius that remains something of a mystery. Hand-picked by writer and film-maker Philip Mullarkey to record and play live as part of the art/film project Box, the four musicians met for the first time in Atlantis Studio in Stockholm for two short days of recording without having planned, scored or prepared any music in advance. It quickly became apparent that this avant-garde juggernaut was heading in the right direction - the musical interplay making it hard to believe that these complex pieces were actually improvised on the spot - again, a testament to instant music-making at the highest level. The music was recorded directly to analog tape and has an organic and rough quality to it. All tracks were mixed from analog tape and there is no digital editing nor Pro-Tooling involved, and no overdubs. Raoul Björkenheim has worked in a wide spectrum of styles, from free jazz improvisations with Edvard Vesala to the Finnish Radio Symphony and UMO orchestras, collaborations with Paul Schütze, Bill Laswell, William Parker/Hamid Drake and Jah Wobble, not to mention his present group, Scorch Trio. Trevor Dunn is a member of Fantômas, John Zorn's Electric Masada, Trio Convulsant and Moonchild. He is one of the most in-demand bass players on the downtown jazz scene in New York and has an eclectic repertoire, having played with artists ranging from Marc Ribot to Melt Banana, Secret Chiefs 3 to Kronos Quartet. Ståle Storløkken is a founder of Supersilent and Humcrush. Morgan is a Grammy-winning musician on both sides of the Atlantic, perhaps best known for his work with the Mats/Morgan Band, as well as with diverse artists such as the Flesh Quartet, Kaipa and Zappa's Universe.