Terje Isungset - Igloo

The Norwegian percussion settled into an ice hotel near the Arctic Circle, built all of his instruments out of ice, and recorded this unique and beautiful work, accompanied on some tracks by the wordless vocals of Sidsel Endresen. It does not get more unique than this!

The artist writes:
In 2003 Terje Isungset did an ice concert at the Ice Hotel in North Sweden. The quality of the ice that year harvested from Tårnelven was exceptional. Ice Hotel let us store a block of the river ice for possible future use. In 2004 Terje returned to record the second ice CD. Icehotel in Jukkasjarvi was naturally selected as the site. The block of ice from the previous winter was still there, safe and secure! In addition 32 igloos were left over from a wedding of a Polish rock star. They became the most amazing recording studio. Tor Magne Hallibakken used one igloo as his control room, placing Sidsel Endresen in another and Terje Isungset in a third. Stable weather at -10 to -20 degrees C was perfect for the project. The studio space was -4 - 6 and perfectly silent.

Isungset was raised in Geilo where he played traditional dance music with his father (accordion) during his high school days. Moving to Bergen in 1984 led him to be a popular member of a number Bergen Groups, «Ictus» and «Tordenskjolds soldater» 1984-85, «Growl» and «Gruv» 1984-88, «Saksbehandlerne» and «Night and Day» 1985-86, «Salsa Pati» 1985-87, «Supply» 1985-88, in addition to periods within the Big Band «Emanon» from 1986, and recording debut Amalgamation (1985) with Kenneth Sivertsen

Isungset is after more than two decades on the Bergen and Norwegian Jazz scenes, one of Europe's most accomplished and innovative percussionists. With more than 20 years experience in jazz and Scandinavian traditional music he raises these narrow formes of music far beyond their traditional boundaries, becoming more like a crossover between a sound artist and a shaman. When crafting his own instruments from Norwegian natural elements such as arctic birch, granite, slate, sheep bells and even ice, he is highly recommended to those sensible to the poetry and simplicity of sounds.

His work is highly acclaimed in the press, often described as innovative, visual, energetic, and different from any previously known concepts. His love for ice music was raised in 1999 when the commission of the winterfestival at Lillehammer asked him to compose and play in a frozen waterfall.Isungset has also been commissioned to compose music for Jazz Festivals, Dance Performances, Theatre, Film, etc., with 41 commissed concerts.He has released 9 solo albums and is doing most of his work internationally. Solo concerts, with his band or in collaboration with other artists. In 2006 he started the Icemusicfestival at Geilo together with Pål Knutsson Medhus. His most recent project is the Glassmusic together with Arve Henriksen. They released an album named World of Glass in late 2014. The recordings were largely made in front of a live audience in Tallinn. Al the instrumenst were made from glass by students from the Estonian Academy of Arts.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terje_Isungset



1 Igloo Terje Isungset 6:04
2 Song Terje Isungset 5:32
3 Morning Terje Isungset 3:25
4 Floating Terje Isungset 2:48
5 Ice Beauty Terje Isungset 5:07
6 Iceman 2 Terje Isungset 4:45
7 Hymn Terje Isungset 3:01
8 Mammoth Terje Isungset 2:43
 9 Bird Terje Isungset 5:00
10 Wisdom Terje Isungset 4:58