Aiming for Enrike
Segway Nation
Name Music & Publishing

Aiming for Enrike (AfE) launched their new, second album Segway Nation in May and last moonth I hailed their single Billion Year Contract. However, it's the album's first single "Newspeak" that kicks off the new record. When I tried to describe their first full-length platter, Mao Miro I mentioned Deerhoof as a reference. Quite fitting then to see Segway Nation launched just before the new Deerhoof record arrives.

AfE are Simen Følstad Nilsen on guitars, pedals, loops and Tobias Ørnes on drums. The twosome pour out spastic and energetic instrumental rock, which I called - after seeing them play live for then to immediately check out Mao Miro - 'proggy art-rock/math-rock/noise-rock/post-rock kicking, tearing and pulling... it'll definitely make you sweat'. AfE keep on making us sweat. Imagine Maryland's (three-piece) Trans Am performing with Robert Fripp, with Brian Eno lurking in the shadows... along with Rick Wakeman strapped onto a guitar - or a drum kit.

The aforementioned "Newspeak" is a brilliant starter, with its melodic and rhythmic drive. Segway Nation is a 12-headed beast pushing and pulling in many directions - with Nilsen and Ørnes as fabulous 'chaos pilots' steering their vessel in a most accurate and safe way. Such as with the wild "Mad Driver", or the superb track "Billion Year Contract". Throughout the 37-minute-long album (featuring a few, short 'intermission' tracks, such as "Minitrue" and "Phone Phobia"), AfE take us to many cool and exciting places. Or, rather; it is the flight, the way we are taken 'there' that matters. It is all about the journey, not the destination. Almost. Just check in on the spinning, whirling "Now Watch This Drive". The almost epic title track is another 'tour de force' standout track from an album bursting and bubbling over with musical and rhythmical creativity. Or the long closing track, "Nakata Johnny Walker" [inspired by the world famous and acclaimed Japanese author Haruki Murakami's novel Kafka on the Shore? This story has Nakata and Johnnie Walker among its characters. Or is it an ode to Japan's greatest footballer ever, Hidetoshi Nakata... on a secret barfly...?]. This closer is a brutal, gentle, skilful and playful track showing AfE's widescreen canvas in all its colours and flavours. AfE are indeed talented musicians, and they are definitely going places. Please check in to and board AfE's flight 2016 to... somewhere, anywhere. Expect some turbulence on this flight, but there's no need for fear and worrying. Segway to heaven!

Copyright © 2016 Håvard Oppøyen