VANDRING

FIRST REVIEW OF THIS ALBUM

'Norwegian three piece formation Kornmo arose early 2015 from the ashes of the band Morild which disbanded around 2014. Chief composer and bass player Nils Larsen wished to continue making music, but sought a slightly different challenge this time, namely focussing entirely on instrumental music. Along with his friend of 50 years and previous band mate from Morild, Odd-Roar Bakken, he started a new musical project to fulfil this wish. To complete the band, Nils asked his son Anton Larsen to join on drums, now Kornmo was formed. Kornmo is a project that solely records original progressive instrumental music, and the band does not perform any live gigs. Thus far this collaborative effort has yielded two albums: Svartisen (2017, remixed and remastered in 2019) and Vandring (2019). Kornmo is inspired by bands such as Camel and Jethro Tull, as well as artists like Mike Oldfield, Bj'rn J:son Lindh, and Pekka Pohjola, blended with a distinctive touch of Nordic folk tones'. Information provided by Anton Larsen, early July 2020.

This second effort from Norwegian trio Kornmo entitled Vandring is in the vein of the warmly welcomed debut album Svartisen: instrumental 24-carat symphonic rock that sounds melodic and harmonic, with flowing shifting moods and dynamic outbursts. It's pretty simply structured but very tastefully arranged with the focus on moving Hackett/Latimer-inspired guitar work and lush vintage keyboards, including lots of Hammond organ, along Mellotron and Minimoog. The rhythm-section does a solid job.

My highlights.

Many flowing changing amtospheres featuring with flashy Minimoog, a swirling Hammond soli, fiery and finally a heavy bombastic outburst with powerful guitar and lush Hammond in Oppbrudd.

A strong build-up from mellow to more lush, embellished with Mellotron, twanging guitar, Hammond and finally a howling twin guitar sound in Nord.

Another strong build-up from dreamy to bombastic featuring a vintage keyboard drenched final part and varied guitar work (Symphonic Rock Heaven) in Taiga.

First dreamy with piano and soaring keyboards, then a slow rhythm with lush Hammond waves, halfway beautiful cello play, culminating in a compelling dark atmosphere and moving guitar (Latimer/Hackett), and finally tender cello and and twanging guitar in Kveld.

The final track F'niks delivers a lush instrumentation and cascades of shifting moods: from a folky acoustic guitar and melancholical cello sound to a heavy explosion with raw rock guitar work and propulsive rhythm-section, then from moving guitar runs and Mellotron violins to bombastic with powerful and howling runs guitar with Hammond (again Symphonic Rock Heaven), concluded with a soaring tremolo Hammond sound, wow!

The band its first genuine epic composition, entitled Nunatak (close to 13 minutes) is the magnum opus on this second Kornmo album. The first part contains a blend of swinging piano, and bombastic outbursts with a church organ sound, and Mellotron flute. Halfway a slow rhythm with Minimoog and Hammond, and powerful electric guitar work with fiery runs. It sounds very dynamic. In the second part a swinging rhytmm with sensational pitchbend driven Minimoog solo, then melancholical violin classical sound, raw guitar and Mellotron violins. A nice musical idea is that this interlude is blended with the classical piece Bourree. Next fragile electric guitar and soaring Hammond, and a slow Minimoog solo. Finally a strongly build-up guitar solo, from sensitive to fiery, topped with lush Hammond, what a splendid, very compelling grand finale, this is Kornmo in its full splendor!

If you are up to simply structured and intense instrumental 24-carat symphonic rock Kornmo is a band to discover!

This review was previously published (in a different version) on the website of Background Magazine, the oldest Dutch progrock source.

the LP on 2023! KORNMO "luminous phenomena" is the instrumental trio formed in 2015 distilling symphonic, atmospheric and melodic rock-prog on the ashes of MORILD; a vintage sound stamped 70's, 3 partner musicians for 50 years and classical music, jazzy at times; demanding folk escapades on landscapes loaded with dark atmosphere. The relaunch of Vandring's completely remixed and remastered version, the latest according to Anton, allows you to feel a fresher, melodic, less vintage sound in a progressive instrumental rock lineage with symphonic roots. Within 4 seconds, the same titles can be heard in this LP version.

"Demring" between 'once upon a time and 'shine', cinematic and floydian fusion, intro allowing to bring "Oppbrudd" for a sound of cold Scandinavian spaces, folk acoustics reminiscent of NOEKK, EMPYRIUM or GRAILS; it then rises with dry drums and dithyrambic guitar solo. "Vemod" continues with a piano ballad and a CAMEL-like solo, full of feeling and sensitivity. "Nord" follows with a pastoral flute before letting the guitar wander on an air that Mike OLDFIELD would not have denied. "Nunatak" arrives with a folk-medieval-Scandinavian sound and hints of the 70's for the guitar approach, the camelian breaks above all and the enchanting melodic detours on GENESIS; then this final stratospheric guitar to the TANGERINE DREAM which flows from source.

"Taiga" oldfield guitar arpeggio again to bathe in a heavenly fresh and jovial, rural sound; like a little DICE. "Kveld" connects stereo piano arpeggio on synth layer; the vintage melody-ballad to 'donf' also allowing to realize the level of musical excellence, between APHRODITE'S CHILD and BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST of yesteryear and we pass on "Ild" to the sustained rhythm and the organ taking for a festive air, ideal for strolling in the cool mornings on snowy land; melodic flute then military break, spartan, it bursts from all sides from Odd's fingers. "Aske" follows guitar arpeggio on Mogg letting tunes scroll with various breaks to get lost even more easily in the wilderness; long tune that unrolls and makes you wander. Finally "Føniks" ends again with a guitar arpeggio at the start leaving the instrumental drift to spread out over the musical waves; very good for washing away the vicissitudes of life.

KORNMO distills after remixing this 2nd album to let yourself be immersed in an agreed genre, the 70s vintage prog, doped with fondant folk melodies where the dinos CAMEL and GENESIS carve out the best part of reminiscences, the festive side approaching a FOCUS. Atmospheric symphony where keyboards are highlighted, an LP remix for the pleasure of taking back the time of listening, for vinyl addicts.