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    Posted: January 06 2008 at 17:15
What do you make of this Norwegian noise/electronic/improv/free-jazz outfit?
 
I got to know them during 2007 and have acquired their whole discography (apart from their DVD Supersilent 7) and have grown slowly accustomed to it and then even liking it more and more, understanding/grasping more the music (or whatever you want to call it). Right now, due to discovering some music that is even more (much more) challenging than theirs, I can easily relate to their music, and find it enjoyable, but the question remains - do you enjoy this? is this music to your ears?
 
 
Some links:
Unofficial website - http://www.supersilence.net/
Interview with the band (very interesting, they talk about how they record and compose) - http://www.white-heat.com/?page=articles&id=17
 
 
From their unofficial website:
 
members

helge sten (electronics, guitars, keyboards)

ståle storløkken (keyboards, synth, electronics)

jarle vespestad (drums)

arve henriksen (trumpet, voice, drums, electronics)

 
Chronology:
autumn 1989 trio "veslefrekk" was formed by ståle, jarle and arve in trondheim
the norwegian name means 'small spot'
1993-1994 veslefrekk recorded their first album "veslefrekk" in trondheim, december 1993, which was released in 1994 from the norwegian label nor-cd
1993-1994 helge joined in the norwegian (rock) group motorpsycho from trondheim, recorded album "demon box" and eps, and left the group
10.10.1994 helge aka deathprod released his first solo album "treetop drive part 1-3, towboat" from metal art disco / voices of wonder
1996 helge aka deathprod released his second solo album "imaginary songs from tristan da cunha" from norwegian label dbut
31.05.1997 as "veslefrekk with deathprod", four members of supersilent played together for the first time at the bergen jazz festival "nattjazz", norway, without any prior rehearsal
aug-oct 1997 recording sessions for their first album
the name, "supersilent", derives from a logo on the side of a truck spotted in oslo.
01.12.1997 their first triple album "1-3" was released from the norwegian label rune grammofon
this was the first album also for the label
30.09.1998 helge (deathprod) released a sprit album "nordheim translformed" with biosphere (geir jenssen) from rune grammofon. an album of collections of 'transformed' arne nordheim composition
23.11.1998 released the second album "4"
a studio recording
from 01.2000 rune grammofon catalogs including supersilent 4 are distributed worldwide by ecm records
14.05.2001 released the third album "5"
selected live recording 1999 -2000
15.10.2001 arve released his first solo album "sakuteiki" from rune grammofon which was recorded and produced by helge
10.2002 "1-3" and "4" were reissued with new 'standard' packaging
20.01.2003 released the fourth album "6"
a studio recording
20.08.2003 released the vinyl version of "6"
2 lp, limited to 1000 copies
14.02.2004 "6" was awarded alarmprisen for jazz categoly, the alternative norwegian grammy
23.02.2004 helge released his third album "morals and dogma" on rune grammofon
a box set "deathprod" including his first two solo album, the new album and the collection of rare tracks was released at the same time
01.05.2004 arve released his second album "chiaroscuro" on rune grammofon
09.2004 veslefrekk, trio of ståle, jarle and arve, released the second (and probably the last) album "valse mysterioso" on nor-cd
28.08.2005 released japanese edition of "6" on bomba records, with gatefold paper sleeve
26.09.2005 released live dvd "7", filmed and recorded in oslo on 16.08.04
23.10.2005 released japanese edition of "4" and "5" on bomba records, with gatehold paper sleeve
21.12.2005 released japanese edition (ntsc version) of "7" on bomba records, with gatehold paper sleeve
24.04.2006 helge released 10" vinyl titled "6-track" on rune grammofon
five deathprod remixes of other artists and one track from "money will ruin everything" compilation
26.02.2007 arve released his third album "strjon" on rune grammofon
joined by helge and ståle and produced by helge
17.09.2007 released album "8"
a studio recording
 
 
 
There are also other projects in which the members participate in (different than Supersilent material but worth looking into).
 
 
 
 
 
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Points: 12625 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 06 2008 at 17:19

So far I feel I have absorbed well their music until Supersilent 5. I sense a progression with regards to the sounds they make, the atmosphere produced, the experimentation done and the effects used.

Any takers?
 
 
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Points: 31157 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 06 2008 at 17:53
Heard all of their albums once in the record store downtown. Great stuff, will definitely check'em out further.
 
Jarle Vespestad is an amazing drummer, BTW. He played with another Norwegian band named Farmer's Market. They play a sort of hyperactive Ethnic Folk/Jazz/RIO music that reminds me of Alamaailman Vasarat mixed with Tribal Tech (I suggested them in the ZART) His performance with them is beyond awesome!
 
RIO/AVANT/ZEUHL - The best thing you can get with yer pants on!
EXERIOR Experimental tech/death/progmetal from Norway!
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Points: 12625 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 06 2008 at 20:49
I'll give  Farmer's Market a listen next week. Interested in hearing what it's like.
 
Back to Supersilent, that link to the interview I posted above (http://www.white-heat.com/?page=articles&id=17) has interesting details about the band's history and the way they make their records.
Just read this one question from the interview:

How does a Supersilent songs comes about? 

Jarle Vespestad: It's the same now as it has always been: we never rehearse, we improvise. We started out as a trio, without Helge. Then we rehearsed a lot, checking out different ways of communication. When Helge came in, the band stabilised, Supersilent became clearer in a way. We used to practise a lot, but we stopped doing that ten years ago.

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Points: 166178 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2008 at 00:03
An intriguing sounding band.
 
Been wanting to order their first three boxset for a bit now.
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Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect.
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Points: 1354 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2008 at 08:38
OH YES OH YES OH YES!!!!!! finally someone other than myself plugs the almighty Supersilent!!!  Honestly i think they're the greatest improv group in the history of the universe..........yet its not traditional call & response or noisy/quiet improv ala Derek Bailey or AMM but a powerful organic sound-beast that gathers momentum as the 4 members interact and empathise w one another.

Supersilent for PA!!! they're not a prog or fusion band per se but the music they create can bring to mind electric Miles, Terje Rypdal, Popul Vuh, Talk Talk, bits of King Crimson, Godspeed, IDM-electronica...........but its much more than the sum of such parts............

the greatest...............alongside Tortoise heheheh
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Points: 12625 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2008 at 09:18
Let me quote some of the responses at Progressive Ears forum in a similar thread I opened:
 
Member: wu Quote • Unbookmark • Moderate • | 1/7/2008 12:10 AM
Arve Henrikson came out with a solo album last year, Strjon, that you might like, on Rune Grammofon.

Otherwise I don't know - I've only heard 6 and it kind of reminded me of a less abstract version of some electroacoustic improv type stuff. Lately I've been obsessing over a new eai disc, V 1.1 by a group called Fessenden. I'm not too educated on this stuff yet but I'm learning, and Supersilent strikes me as hovering close to this world, without actually being in it.


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Member: Mohadev)* Quote • Unbookmark • Moderate • | 1/7/2008 3:46 AM
I have 6 and 7, theyre both fantastic. I'd like to check out the earlier stuff (I've heard 1-3 are more intense), maybe I'll get around to that some day...
wu said:
Supersilent strikes me as hovering close to this world, without actually being in it.
Supersilent don't sound like "EAI" to me, but my experience with both is limited. I like the Supersilent I've heard because they straddle the line between 'jamming' (ie spontaneous composition) and improvising (spontaneous... playing?). In other words, they keep things interesting, but you don't have to get a divorce.

Member: Corbie Quote • Unbookmark • Moderate • | 1/7/2008 5:56 AM
There have been o yhandful of Supersilent related threads on PE over the last year or so. A few of us on here are big fans of the group. There is a sensibility at work that - to me - sounds like a distillation of the sort of thing the '73 - '74 King Crimson were doing with the idea of free improv in rock music.

They are, for me, a stupendous band and one of the few hopes that exist for genuine progression.

Member: steblik Quote • Unbookmark • Moderate • | 1/7/2008 6:46 AM
You might want to try Humcrush, which is Storloken and Scandinavian edgy-music fixture Thomas Stronen (also of Food) on percussion.


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Member: m Quote • Unbookmark • Moderate • | 1/7/2008 7:43 AM
For the most part...I think the whole Supersilent discography is very good to great. I am partial to the first release which was a triple cd set (Supersilent 1-3). It's very raw, and edgy in parts which, I think they have since glossed over.

I saw them live a few years ago and it was fantastic, they revisted some of this loud raw energy that was displayed on the first 3 and, the dvd (Supersilent 7) is a definite must buy.
Corbie said:
sounds like a distillation of the sort of thing the '73 - '74 King Crimson were doing with the idea of free improv in rock music.
I hear this too. They seem to have similar notions of free improv...starting very slow and quiet and building into a huge cacophony of sound on many of their songs. This really is demonstrated well on their dvd. And not only does it sound great, but looks great too---all very artfully done in black and white.

best
Michael
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Points: 12625 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2008 at 10:13
And two more:
 
Member: battema Quote • Unbookmark • Moderate • | 1/7/2008 9:41 AM
I own Supersilent 6 & 8 and enjoy both (I like 8 slightly more). Also own Strjon, which is good. Our bassist has the DVD and we watched it one night -- good stuff.

Mainly though (and actually my intro point into their music) I am a big fan of Deathprod's stuff. The black box collecting all his solo output thus far (not including Nordheim Transformed) is truly excellent IMHO.
 
 
 
 
Member: Poisoned Youth Quote • Unbookmark • Moderate • | 1/7/2008 10:10 AM
avestin said:
Any suggestion for other bands in the same ball park?
Electric full improvisation is not easy to come across in my particular explorations. In most jazz contexts, you have stuff with 'electronic manipulation' like Evan Parker's Electroacoustic ensemble and Spring Heel Jack's later work. There's also a lot of EAI music which gets 'way out' there from the most extreme music to the emerging minimalist movement (imagine listening to electronic manipulation in the form of blips and feedback a la Keith Rowe for 60 minutes). In rock or other contexts, rarely do you get full on improv as much as "jamming".

A few recs off the top of my head.

Bone Structure - G.E. Stinson/Gregg Bendian's improv group on Cryptogramophone. It's electric nature and violin certainly can remind one of early 70s Crimson improvs at times.

L Stinkbug & Splinter Group - Two more G.E. Stinson related bands, both heavy on the guitar.

Francois Houle - Au Coeur du Litige: Canadian jazz clarinet player's electro-acoustic album. First disc is mostly all solo with manipulation. 2nd disc has various musicians and some spoken word.

Species Being - Orgone Therapy: A 'rock improv' group with a few albums. They apparently played with Nels Cline at some point.

Isildurs Bane & Metamorfosi Trio - MIND Vol. 3: This one slipped by most people as it got away from IB's typical sound.

Porcupine Tree - Metanoia: Believe it or not. Though I wouldn't put this in the same league as Supersilent.

Djam Karet - Still No Commercial Potential - ditto.
 
 
 
 
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Points: 10094 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2008 at 13:26
This is one of those bands that there's no way I should like but just do
 
6 is a nice chill album, still havent given 8 a proper listen


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Points: 9008 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2008 at 13:53
I have one of Arve Henriksen's solo album. It's called Chiaroscuro and it's a nice gentle and peaceful album.

Haven't heard of Supersilent yet, but I'm planning on doing so soon.

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Points: 1354 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 07 2008 at 21:36
to reprise my descriptions of their albums:
 
1-3  -  skull-f**king noise-jazz blizzards!!!
 
4  -  this is death-jazz!!! ominous, rumbling power.......
 
5  -  their most ambient work but full of intense foreboding
 
6  -  their most soundtrack-ish and beautifully glacial work, ECM fans take note!!
 
7  -  the mother of all live dvds, beautifully filimed in black n' white, amazing music that builds from canvasses of silence into epic catastrophic rock-outs!!!
 
8  -  a relatively sparse and minimal effort but an effective lumbering-swaying beast, with 2 doom/metalnoise workouts thrown in fer good measure!!! 
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Points: 1354 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2008 at 21:45
Avestin wrote:
Electric full improvisation is not easy to come across in my particular explorations. In most jazz contexts, you have stuff with 'electronic manipulation' like Evan Parker's Electroacoustic ensemble and Spring Heel Jack's later work. There's also a lot of EAI music which gets 'way out' there from the most extreme music to the emerging minimalist movement (imagine listening to electronic manipulation in the form of blips and feedback a la Keith Rowe for 60 minutes). In rock or other contexts, rarely do you get full on improv as much as "jamming".

A few recs off the top of my head.

Bone Structure - G.E. Stinson/Gregg Bendian's improv group on Cryptogramophone. It's electric nature and violin certainly can remind one of early 70s Crimson improvs at times.

L Stinkbug & Splinter Group - Two more G.E. Stinson related bands, both heavy on the guitar.

Francois Houle - Au Coeur du Litige: Canadian jazz clarinet player's electro-acoustic album. First disc is mostly all solo with manipulation. 2nd disc has various musicians and some spoken word.

Species Being - Orgone Therapy: A 'rock improv' group with a few albums. They apparently played with Nels Cline at some point.

Isildurs Bane & Metamorfosi Trio - MIND Vol. 3: This one slipped by most people as it got away from IB's typical sound.

Porcupine Tree - Metanoia: Believe it or not. Though I wouldn't put this in the same league as Supersilent.

Djam Karet - Still No Commercial Potential - ditto.
 
 
Supersilent's roots are in a way still largely in jazz and here are some records that mix jazzz n' electronics which fans would like esp if you are into 5 and 6:
 
Marcus Stockhausen feat. Terje Rypdal - Karta
David Torn - Prezens
Jon Hassell - Powerspot
Lonely Universe - s/t (feat. Torn & Mick Karn)
Weather Report - Live In Montreux DVD
Weather Report - I Sing The Body Electric
 
on the more rock end here are a few more:
 
King Crimson - Vroom mini-album / Thrakattak
The Projeckt series of cds by KC members
Ultralyd - Conditions For A Piece of Music
 
 
 
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Points: 12625 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 09 2008 at 22:45
Originally posted by superprog superprog wrote:

Ultralyd - Conditions For A Piece of Music
 
Recently discovered this as well (been on my hard drive for some time unlistened to) and loving it as well as their other album. They're on our voting chart.
 
 
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Points: 89372 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 10 2008 at 03:46
Out of everything listed, I'm only familiar with Ultralyd, but I do plan on listening to Supersilent soon.

I think it was my gentle reminder to Assaf, that got him hooked on Ultralyd, especially as I know he likes Shining - Grindstone.


Edited by Geck0 - January 12 2008 at 21:58
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Points: 2888 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 10 2008 at 20:12
Great band, which I have revisted due to this thread. Thinking 'bout picking up that boxset of the first three albums, looks promising. Looking at the above posts from progressive ears, I was surprise to see several people linking this band to eai. While I can see where people are making links, I don't personally agree with them. But it is good to see such a small niche of musical getting a mention on a prog site.
 
BTW Assaf, have you given those Radian albums I sent you a while back a spin? I know they are different types of bands, but at times I find the timbre somewhat similar, despite the void of jazzy tendancies. The drummer from Radian, produced an album with another Austrian musican (guitarist) called 'Too Beautiful to Burn' which is absolutely stunning. So if you liked them I will have to send you some samples of this other album. A very rhythmic album with an almost post-rock like influence, with out the rock.  
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Points: 12625 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 12 2008 at 21:45
Originally posted by Black Velvet Black Velvet wrote:

Great band, which I have revisted due to this thread. Thinking 'bout picking up that boxset of the first three albums, looks promising. Looking at the above posts from progressive ears, I was surprise to see several people linking this band to eai. While I can see where people are making links, I don't personally agree with them. But it is good to see such a small niche of musical getting a mention on a prog site.
 
BTW Assaf, have you given those Radian albums I sent you a while back a spin? I know they are different types of bands, but at times I find the timbre somewhat similar, despite the void of jazzy tendancies. The drummer from Radian, produced an album with another Austrian musican (guitarist) called 'Too Beautiful to Burn' which is absolutely stunning. So if you liked them I will have to send you some samples of this other album. A very rhythmic album with an almost post-rock like influence, with out the rock.  
 
Hey Adam,
 
Haven't listened to it yet (I've got a ton of music on my hard drive still to listen to).
But I'll listen to it definitely and I'm interested in this album you mention here as well.
 
 
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Points: 1354 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 13 2008 at 21:38
Ahhh...... Radian, most excellent motorik-electronik postrock.  Another band which would you guys wld like if you like it rhythmic/electronic but without too much postrock, go for this French 90s quartet called Tone Rec. 
 
Their 3 albums (Thugny-Trugny, Pholcus, Couchy Pack) are top-notch esp the first 2 which bring to mnd the best bits of Oval and Tortoise's Djed.........
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Points: 9008 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 13 2008 at 21:53
Originally posted by superprog superprog wrote:

Ahhh...... Radian, most excellent motorik-electronik postrock.  Another band which would you guys wld like if you like it rhythmic/electronic but without too much postrock, go for this French 90s quartet called Tone Rec. 
 
Their 3 albums (Thugny-Trugny, Pholcus, Couchy Pack) are top-notch esp the first 2 which bring to mnd the best bits of Oval and Tortoise's Djed.........

Gonna take note for these two bands. Thanks for the recommendations.

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Points: 12625 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 14 2008 at 08:43
Originally posted by superprog superprog wrote:

Ahhh...... Radian, most excellent motorik-electronik postrock.  Another band which would you guys wld like if you like it rhythmic/electronic but without too much postrock, go for this French 90s quartet called Tone Rec. 
 
Their 3 albums (Thugny-Trugny, Pholcus, Couchy Pack) are top-notch esp the first 2 which bring to mnd the best bits of Oval and Tortoise's Djed.........
 
I have Thugny-Trugny which I still have yet to listen to. I'll definitely do so now, thanks!
 
 
 
 
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Points: 1594 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: January 14 2008 at 10:03
Only heard a few Supersilent tracks but I like what I've heard, I need to hear more!
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