FNS – FNS

Was it pure coincidence that when I sat down to write this review, I was indulging in the rare treat of home cooked food?

Did the slightly over cooked mash of my shepherd’s pie have an adverse effect on my ability to write?

The answer to these questions is no, however it perhaps seems appropriate that I make the connection between domestic cuisine and these understated recordings by Miasmah debutant FNS. For just like the pie, this record is filled with the type of delicate touches and natural blemishes that only home cooked, or in this context, home spun recordings can bring.

Despite being his first recording for Miasmah, it transpires that FNS or Fredrik Ness Sevendal is in fact a veteran of the Oslo experimental scene. Having collaborated with several groups over the years, FNS is very much his solo project. Using a variety of instruments, but predominantly focusing on guitar, there is a premeditated approach here; an effort to ensure the lo-fi nature of the record is appreciated by the listener.

Opening with “Silence to Say Hello,” the intention of this sound is clear. Delicate guitar riffs, in tandem with light percussion, are counter balanced with an un-even swirling of self constructed noise and reverbs. “Sappélur” is an altogether different affair and for all the meditative qualities of the opening track, this is an unsettling cacophony of noisy drones.

The album is full of raga infused melodies and at times calls to mind a similar approach to the guitar playing of Sir Richard Bishop. On the third track “Wodden Leg” this style gradually builds before joining with some delightful vocal accompaniments. Rightly compared to the dreamy guitar/vocal concoction of Charalambides, this sound also reminds me of Honey Owens under her Valet moniker.

“Dream,” again using vocals, albeit looped and spun in multiple directions, is like a musical equivalent of stepping into the Black Lodge in David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. “Flaggermusvingers vift i dimmet” sees the album off in style; a sprawling eleven minutes of psychedelically ingrained guitar hazes.

Despite all the well thought out intentions of this record, it is worth noting that a large amount of the playing here is improvised. So while the layering of sounds, the hissing of tapes, sound echoes and fuzzy noises are all staple ingredients in the FNS recipe book of music, there is also a freedom to the recording; a sense of the unexpected. Perhaps I should adopt this approach when tackling my next pie, for it is this combination that allows this album to stand as a fine addition to the already impressive Miasmah roster!  Review by Josh Atkin for Fluid Radio

Track List:

01 Silence To Say Hello (extract)

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02 Sappelur (extract)

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03 Wodden Leg (extract)

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04 I Think She’s Asleep (extract)

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05 Dream (extract)

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06 Flaggermusvingers Vift I Dimmet (extract)

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About the artist:

FNS (Fredrik Ness Sevendal) – This project is me all alone. I also play in bands like Slowburn, DEL, Kobi, Lucia, Marmont, Children & Corpse playing in the streets, GOM, Softrebels, and various other constellations. I have also collaborated with Makoto Kawabata (Acid mothers..), Mitsuru Tabata (Zeni Geva, Marble sheep), Mark Francombe (Ex Cranes guitarist), Bill Wood (1/3 octave band). It’s both lo-fi pop, weird folk, noiserock and free-noise. Common for all the projects is the homespun lo-fi production, tape hiss, lots of different instruments and sounds sources, and a big part of the music is always improvised. Much of this has been released on various formats.

This new release will be made available through Miasmah Recordings on the 5th april 2010

For more information about Miasmah and the release visit here:
www.miasmah.com

For more information about FNS visit here:
www.myspace.com/sevendal