CCMusic.com

Punk, folk, field recordings and electronics create the sound of Øyvind Torvund and asamisimasa since the formation in 2001. Norwegian ensemble asamisimasa has had new music and avant-garde as its focus. In 2012 they were awarded the Norwegian Grammy for their debut recording 'Pretty Sound'. For this new release asamisimasa presents four works by composer Øyvind Torvund, issued with a cover design by illustrator Marc Bell, who has made one artwork for each of the pieces on the recording. Øyvind Torvund's music has a rough and unpolished surface. At one point the composer even called it 'raw'. He thus alludes to the fact he has not refined or purified the material. At least not in a way that usually signifies compositional craftsmanship. Instead Torvund's material speaks to us in an open manner. It is an important quality of this music and it raises some questions about its nature and about contemporary music in general, and it may even widen our listening horizon.