1099

At some point, 1099 offered both Machine! Fire! Ghost! and Any Day Now for free download, and I obliged. I had no idea that I'd downloaded "post rock" until much later.

Machine! Fire! Ghost! is a 4-track, instrumental EP, and is apparently this Norwegian outfit's first release. Much of the music here, as well as on Any Day Now is impressionistic, and free of obvious structure. Most of the melodies are created with guitars, although there is some violin in the first song, "Jan Mayen Skyline." (Jan Mayen is an island belonging to Norway which had some importance in World War II, and whose major feature is a volcano that erupted as recently as 1985. I looked that up, by the way, on Wikipedia. From what I can tell, the island is basically uninhabited, so I don't think it has a skyline in the ordinary sense of the term.) While they're sonically different from "Jan Mayen Skyline," the latter two songs, "Untitled" and "ik+," are also evocative, exploratory, and unconstrained.

The exception, at least to some degree, is the EP's second song, "We Lined Up and Ate Fire," which has a jazzier feel and something closer to a verse-chorus structure.

Machine! Fire! Ghost! is not outlandishly great; at times it seems to be wandering - - not aimless, but perhaps disoriented. But I still consider it a "good" recording, and one worthy of three stars.

Any Day Now is a 21-minute instrumental divided into four tracks - - although listening to the EP straight through, you'd be unlikely to guess where the divisions are. Any Day Now alternates between soft and loud sections, and between uplifting themes and sections of pensive or indeterminate mood.

The main instruments seem to be two guitars and a drum kit; the bass guitar doesn't really stand out - - but maybe it's my sound system. There are also sections which seem to be backed with synthesizer washes which on closer inspection are guitars with sweetening effects. There are also some passages which feature some nicely played violin, such as on the first track, "Geigerteller" ("Geiger counter"). With its shifting moods, "Geigerteller" is a microcosm of Any Day Now as a whole. Melodically, it's also reminiscent of "Jan Mayen Skyline" from their previous EP, Machine! Fire! Ghost!.

"Geigerteller" and "Up! Up! Up!" are bridged by the aptly-named transition "In Transit," a pensive, rhythmless passage which melts from one piece to the other, and it's not until the rhythmic part of "Up! Up! Up!" begins two minutes into the song that I know for sure that the transition is over. "Up! Up! Up!" Grows more intense, closing with a heavier section in 9/8, or maybe 9/4 - - but not as heavy as the opening of "Beauty of the Night." After two minutes of slow, noisy, distorted guitars with drum fills and feedback squeals, "Beauty" is suddenly transformed into a plaintive 3/4 passage focused mainly on plucked guitar and solo violin, with cymbals and guitar chords in back. Eventually the drummer plays picks up the midtempo beat, and the heavily distorted guitar(s) from the first movement return, resolving into a majestic theme over a long fade,closed with some very faint, high-pitched notes.

Any Day Now improves upon 1099's debut EP, Machine! Fire! Ghost!, although in my opinion, they're still wavering between creating experimental, semi-structured songs and broad, impressionistic soundscapes. They seem better suited to the latter, but the stylistic shifts, while nicely executed, are too frequent for me to enjoy this as ambient music. But it's still admirable for what it is.

I have purposed in my heart to visit as many "unreviewed" albums as I can, and to review in good faith the ones that have attracted my attention.

The alphabetically first album on the list was the 1099, by 1099 (a coincidence?). No idea how to pronounce it - Ten-Ninety-Nine? Band names are important; album names are even more so. They are supposed set an appropriate mood and offer a glimpse into the album's inner workings.

To my relief, the 1099 proved to be a rather decent album. Being 74' long, it's probably a little drawn-out for the amount of the musical message it conveys, and therefore a little tedious to listen to in one sitting. The overall tone could be described as unassertive, reasonably fluid and late autumn-sad, albeit without being too gloomy.

Had I not known it was the 1099, I would have assumed it was some unreleased de-metalized material from Motor Psycho. I wouldn't describe it as prog, and I do not have a good understanding of what math-rock be, therefore I might characterize it as Nordic melodic indie-infused soft rock.

The musicianship is fairly good, and the compositions are not unpleasant, which isn't a disadvantage either.

I am not very frequently in the mood to listen to this kind of music in album quantities, therefore I will not be buying this one. Three stars ..

Listening diary 11th March, 2021: 1099 - s/t (post-rock, 2013)

In recent years 1099 have landed themselves amongst my favourite artists of all time. I don't necessarily think any of their releases are classics, but they have such a unique sound within post-rock, and instrumental music in general, that make them near-perfect for certain situations. Namely, background music at a cafe. But all that love was nearly entirely Young Pines and Blindpassasjer, so I'll save my lyrical waxing for covering those albums. This album was my introduction to the band, way back in 2014, but I've barely touched it since.

And while there are undeniably some elements of what the band would become later here, it doesn't hold up to the standards set on those albums. For starters, the occasional vocal bursts and metal sections definitely don't fit, and I'm glad the band worked out how to make music without them. But there are still some wonderful jazz-influenced post-rock segments here, even if they do run on a bit long in several tracks. It fits the vibe of my background cafe ambience playlist reasonably well, if with a couple of track subtractions.

6.6 (4th listen)

Part of my listening diary from my facebook music blog - www.facebook.com/TheExoskeletalJunction

4.5 stars actually

With great harmony and incredible melodies and themes, this simple post-rock band from norway just catch me. The first theme, Jan Mayen Skyline and the melodies on the track IK+ are just awesome! IK+ is one of the most beautifull post-rock i've ever heard. With only strings and drums they make a sound verisimilar, good to listen in urban landscapes...

Something that i usually don't like is noise rock, but this band have some influences on it and this "noise" make an atmosphere really nice...

Unfortunately, there are no such original CDs to buy. I also talked with the band via MySpace and they said they recordered a new album but his album has never released...

For those who like post-rock, a must have!

Simple post-rock with influences on noise rock and a bit of minimalism, there are no great melodies on this album but i liked the harmony. Their first album is a lot better, with great melodies and incredible themes. With only strings and drums they make a sound verisimilar, good to listen in urban landscapes... The reason why this album is not great is certainly the absence of melodies.

For those who really like post-rock, listen! For those who do not, whatever...

Unfortunately, there are no such original CDs to buy. I also talked with the band via MySpace and they said they recordered a new album but his album has never released...

I am not exactly updated on the latest music trends and labelphrases. But I have heard the phrase "shoegaze" being branded around the scene. Post rock can often be connected to shoegaze, I have been informed by people half of my age.

What 1099 is trying here must surely be shoegaze. Some guitars builds up. The crashes down. Then builds up. Sorts of vocals. Guitars builds up. The world is a horrible place. I am depressed now. I need to be consoled. Any pretty girls out there with a shoulder I can lean my head on ? I am crying now. Still crying. Sorry, I am too saddened over this world to go to bed with you (but Angus Young from AC/DC is available).

In short; this EP/album is simply not reaching the expected standards. The music is pedestrian, bordering to sleeping. Although the mood and the ambience is good here, that's all this album has. 1099 has simply forgotten to write good post rock and good melodies. Sorry, but this EP falls way too short of required standards.

2 stars

The second EP from this Norwegian post rock band is an interesting addition to the post rock scene.

It is obvious where this band comes from. There is even a nod to the Norwegian Black Metal scene on the opening minute of the final track Beauty Of The Night. But before that, we have been treated to some fine post rock with the occasional nod to Norwegian folk music too. The above mentioned Beauty Of The Night is the strongest melody here, clocking in at seven minutes. It takes the listener from the bleak black metal landscape to some Norwegian folk and classical music too. Everything under the post rock umbrella, off course.

The quality of the first three songs...... ehh.... melodies are not particular impressive. They are too standard post rock to really enthuse me. But this EP is saved by Beauty Of The Night which is the best melody here by miles. If the band had written and recorded more songs like this; this band would rise to somewhere near top of the post rock genre. But this is still a good EP and it is a free download too from their homepage. Good, but not genre defining great.

3 stars

Not that it matters, but in my October '09 review of the freshman effort by this young quartet of Scandinavian post-rockers I ended by writing "...a follow-up EP is due any day now." Less than a month later the new recording was released (again, via free digital download from the band's web site), and what's the title? That's right: "Any Day Now"...a mere coincidence, or uncanny cyber-synchronicity?

My initial response to the new recording is to note the more aggressive sound of the band this time out. The EP opener "Geigenteller" plays like a long-lost EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY composition, but the addition of violins and (on later tracks) saxophone helps to make the music fairly unique. The EXPLOSIONS influence surfaces even higher in the aptly-titled closer "Beauty of the Night", drawing a solid line from the kindred twin-guitar icons of Austin, Texas to the 1099 home base in Trondheim, half a world away in western Norway.

Each of the four songs blends smoothly into the next, alternating between moods of blissful near-ambient calm and fuzzed-out guitar catharsis, particularly effective in the emphatically titled "Up! Up! Up!" The abrupt ending to this track is the exception to the otherwise seamless flow of the EP, sounding like someone accidentally kicked a plug out of its socket.

This new effort doesn't advance the band's style any further from their year 2008 debut, but at least consolidates their aims with confidence and strength. And if the all-too brief 21-minute running time (far shorter than their first release) seems a liability, keep in mind the group is generously giving both recordings away free of charge, a welcome altruistic gesture in tough economic times. Consider the two EPs as separate halves of a single worthwhile CD, and well worth inclusion in the expanding pantheon of international Post-Rock.

Second EP from this Norwegian post-rock quartet was released in November 2009. Four atmospheric, cool and a bit fairy songs with slight scent of Nordic folk. Classic twin-guitars based post-rock quartet is supported by additional drummer, violinist and bells.

Music is what you're expecting from Norwegian post-rock, with all pros and cons. And being a very fresh and pleasant listening, it lucks personality, what is main problem for hundred other post-rock bands.

Not bad listening for genre fans, but don't expect unusual music: you will get what you expected.