Blossom Bells Erland Dahlen

• 1Snake04:39
• 2Pipe06:10
• 3Knife08:05
• 4Iron06:06
• 5Hammer05:51
• 6Blossom Bells06:18
• Total Runtime37:09

Info for Blossom Bells

“Blossom Bells” is the long awaited follow-up of drummer and percussionist Erland Dahlen’s critically acclaimed solo debut album, “Rolling Bomber” (HUBRO, 2012). Uncut’s reviewer said that Erland’s “one-man band-in-a-box sounds fuller and more imaginative than many ‘post-rock’ quartets”, while Rock-A-Rolla described the debut album as “finely judged and creatively individual”.

Erland´s second album has a playful, richly visual mood, but is also quite dark and menacing in places. Elements of krautrock, drone music, ambient music and contemporary music are woven together here with dark, rock-inspired energy.

The album is named after the legendary instrument-maker Pete Engelhart’s unusual chromatic set of bells, “Blossom Bells”, which Erland plays in several places on the album. He also plays a variety of percussion instruments, saw, electronic instruments and some specially constructed instruments, such as cake moulds with springs built by Hallvard W. Hagen, a custom made «percussion bass» made by Harald Hougaard and a wind up wood instrument with elastic band constructed by Kenny Wollesen.

The collection of instruments used on the album is extensive, imaginative and unique. Erland is passionately interested in new sounds, and spends a great deal of time traipsing through offbeat second-hand shops while touring all over the world. Another important source of percussion instruments from the 1920s, 30s and 40s is eBay. His new compositions are often inspired by improvisations based on the exploration of fascinating sounds.

Erland plays all the instruments himself, as on the previous record, but has produced the album with Johnny Skalleberg as well as with Jens Petter Nilsen and Hallvard W. Hagen from the electronica duo Xploding Plastix – a group Erland has worked together with for over a decade.

Erland Dahlen has played on over 160 records since the mid-1990s, and has toured with an impressive list of top-ranking artists in more than 30 countries, including Madrugada, Xploding Plastix, John Paul Jones, Pantha du Prince and the Bell Laboratory, Årabrot, Kaada/Mike Patton, Eivind Aarset on “Sonic Codex”, Serena Maneesh, Anja Garbarek, Arve Henriksen, Hanne Hukkelberg and Ane Brun, along with many others.

For the past few years Erland has been a regular member of Nils Petter Molvær’s band, and he plays in the trio Stian Westerhus and the Pale Horses. His talents are also frequently put to use for film music.

The album was recorded at Oslo Klang with technician Johnny Skalleberg and at Coffee Fabric with technicians Jens Petter Nilsen and Hallvard W. Hagen. It was mastered by Helge Sten at Audio Virus Lab.

"Last noted Norwegian jazz drummer Erland Dahlen in 2012 with his Rolling Bomber solo record. Here he be again with Blossom Bells (HUBRO MUSIC HUBROCD2525), where once again a vintage drum kit is at the heart of his efforts – this time some 1930s WFL (i.e. Ludwig) drums. If you’ve ever seen a photo of Ringo’s kit, you might appreciate why drum trainspotters go bonkers for a good Ludwig. Dahlen also plays all manner of non-conventional instruments – the printed inventory of tools and objects on the back is more like something you’d take along for a shopping spree at the hardware store – and adds electronics and drones, sometimes applying percussive techniques using mallets on guitars and other stringed instruments. Net result is surprisingly varied if you were expecting a percussion-only record, and offers plenty of melodic and aurally rich moments, taking us from uplifting and energised runs across the snowy countryside to wistful, moody contemplations of the bleak landscape. A strong combination of abstract, scrapey noise with low-key, restrained melodies; as with many Hubro releases, the plan is to advance us a stage or two beyond the known conventions of instrumental rock or contemporary jazz." (The Sound Projector, UK)

Erland Dahlen, drums, FX, all instruments

Erland Dahlen
has played on over 130 records since the mid-1990s, and has toured with an impressive list of top-ranking artists in a variety of genres: Kiruna, Mike Patton/Kaada, Ingrid Olava, Eivind Aarset Sonic Codex Orchestra, Mathias Eick, Serena Maneesh, Arve Henriksen, Hanne Hukkelberg and Marit Larsen, to name just a few. He is probably best known as the drummer in the successful band Madrugada for the last years of the band’s life, and as the drummer in Nils Petter Molvær’s different groups during the last years.

This album contains no booklet.