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Review: 'URHEIM, STEIN'
'Stein Urheim'   

-  Label: 'Hubro Records'
-  Genre: 'Ambient' -  Release Date: '21st February 2014'-  Catalogue No: 'HUBROCD2529'

Our Rating:
On his second solo album for Hubro, gifted Norwegian guitarist Stein Urheim (b. 1979) plays a wide variety of stringed instruments from around the world.

He co-produced the album with Jørgen Træen, who also contributes modular synths and effects.

Much of the album was recorded in an ice-cold wooden house on the outskirts of Bergen, the room's atmosphere and warm acoustics apparently made up for the freezing temperature.

Urhein's influences come from jazz, blues, and folk music but he says inspirations also include American composers Lou Harrison and Steve Reich, Chinese gu qin music, langeleik (Norwegian zither) music from Valdres, and Ornette Coleman.

With such a diverse range of styles to choose from, the end result could easily have been messy and/or over ambitious. Thankfully, it is neither.

Take, for example,After The Festival, the longest of the five tracks which begins like a Chinese classical piece but subtly morphs into something that manages to be both meticulously composed and freeform.

Beijing Blues continues the globe spanning mood and even includes snatches of Sweet Home Chicago.

Kosmoloda has an beguiling and leisurely atmosphere that reminded me of Ry Cooder's Paris Texas soundtrack. Slide guitar also figures prominently on Watch The View and Great Distances.

In short, the five instrumental tracks of idiosyncratic and exotic music blend smoothly into each other to produce a sophisticated and satisfying whole.

Nice.

Stein Urheim's website
  author: Martin Raybould

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URHEIM, STEIN - Stein Urheim