A country that has the population of a British suburb produces some remarkable musicianship, and across a multitude of genres and styles.
The Faroe Islands never cease to surprise me.
GØ (it translates as GØ according to Mr Google), represents the jazz end of the spectrum, one that we have only infrequently encountered thus far in those islands.
GØ are from Tórshavn, the capital. But of course, like every Icelandic band is from Reykjavik. Actually that’s not entirely true in both cases but capitals do tend to harbour the majority of musicians.
For this second album and after a ‘DIY’ approach to producing their first one, GØ hitched up with producer Per Ingvald Højgaard Petersen who has worked with NMC regulars Eivør and Lea Kampmann, acquiring what they describe as an even more focused and unique sound while incorporating five-piece horn arrangements on several tracks without compromising the integrity of the compositions.
‘Ævir, amen’ (Forever Amen, which sounds like a metal band), is described as a concept album (you don’t find many of those these days), which examines “the poignant cultural and political dynamics of the Faroe Islands”, including Denmark’s influence over the Faroes and particularly the continuing debate around self-governance.
It seems that’s a hot topic just now with many crucial decisions about the islands currently being made through Denmark, and accordingly the album reflects on the linguistic and cultural differences that fuel this debate, as well as the strong desire among many Faroese people to assert greater control over their own affairs.
Will they go for independence, 80 years after Iceland did? Now that would be a party.
Quite how they do that reflecting confuses me though, because there is a distinct lack of lyricism on the album.
I had a quick listen to the album before going to the title track, and was struck by the huge variety. No two tracks sound alike and it is rare that you can say that nowadays.
The diversity on offer includes one track that sounds like it could have been recorded in the Radiophonic Workshop where the ‘Doctor Who’ music was made, another is a prog-rock fusion affair, yet another the same and with a dose of Pink Floyd, a metal one, and one that sounds like The Shadows in the 1960s.
While the obvious comparison is with Go-Go Penguin, especially in the cinematic expansiveness of some of their work, while the Manchester trio tends to look to the future GØ’s influences are rooted in the best of the past.
‘Ævir, amen’ starts off with an approximation of the theme to The Twilight Zone, putting you on edge straight away. Then it morphs into what I’d describe as very 1970s sexy TV drama murder mystery music. You can imagine Columbo driving his ancient banger not along Hollywood Boulevard but rather a twisting mountain road somewhere north of Tórshavn to the scene of the crime as he grapples with the few clues he has to go on.
Then it changes again into moody and magnificent Nordic Noir music but using the same underlying theme, just more heavily synthesised. Ominous chords that would go well with some of the deeper philosophical scenes in TV dramas like The Bridge, or in Those Who Kill (Den som dræber), which is showing on British TV just now.
Or even the Faroes’ own Nordic Noir, ‘Tron’, which aired a couple of years back and which has the weirdest surprise ending I’ve ever seen.
By the time it plays out ‘Ævir, amen’ has shifted on again, this time into classic 1970s prog.
A real tour de force.
I noticed that they have their own phrase for it – ‘Doom jazz.’ I wouldn’t go quite that far but there is something faintly dystopian about it for sure.
The question I always ask when listening to serious instrumental music coming out of any foreign country is – does it encapsulate that country and what it is all about? I don’t think there is any doubt this track and the album succeed in doing that.
I don’t know if these guys tour outside their homeland and Denmark but I’m certain this album would go down very well if they did.
‘Ævir, amen’ is out now via Tutl Records.
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GObandFO
