Øystein Kapperud
311/Amnesia
Handmade Records//Musikkoperatørene

Øystein Kapperud composer creates/performs ethereal electronic music, and his debut album 311/Amnesia is available both as CD and double vinyl. Among his sources of inspiration he lists Norwegian contemporary composers/musicians Arne Nordheim, Åse Hedstrøm, Håkon Berge, Julian Skar, Ragnhild Berstad and Rolf Wallin, Italian composer Giacinto Scelsi, CAN, David Lynch, Four Tet, Notwist, Radiohead, Sigur Rós, The Original Silence. Quite some variation. Kapperud's music explores the monotony and repetition of the monotonous.

In August UK magazine the WIRE launched his track "Leland Wrapped in Plastic" - the album's opener - on their compilation 'Wire Tapper 26', which is quite some kudos for a young artist and a 'spotlight on' alert to the alternative world. Well, this is not music for any bigger masses, of course, but I guess being exposed by the WIRE makes his name slide abroad and expands his audience.

311/Amnesia holds 12 compositions, over 56 minutes, and is quite a challenge to get through. This is music on the opposite side of the scale of popular music. Yet "Leland Wrapped..." is a cool opener in all its abstract minimalism. "Cinema" is even melodic, and has of course a cinematic feel to it. It's even got a dramatic structure, like beginning-middle-end. Here's more cinema moods: "Exit Music (For Cinema)" (guess this is a nod to Radiohead's "Exit Music (For a Film)") has got a more slow-floating theme. Very good. "Intermission #1" has got a likewise slow and easy mood. "Drums" is an up-beat repetitive drum pattern, or patterns, interweaving, crossing each other rapidly, randomly. "Cold Turkey" is one of the key tracks, along with "Four Red Cars in a Row", and they're both truly fascinating compositions. The latter being the most melodic and conventional song on the album.

311/Amnesia is a record to lay back and listen to with closed eyes. Meditative music, or sounds and rhythms playing with, duelling each other. Or, is it anti-meditative music, making you come off your coach. Well, his compositions are both pleasant and disturbing listening at the same time. I guess that's intentional. This is the sound of paranoid androids, as well as sane cyborgs. is this the imaginative soundtrack to some science fiction flick.

Copyright © 2011 Håvard Oppøyen