Kira Skov - The Echo of You (STUNT RECORDS April 6, 2018)

In February 2017, Kira Skov suffered the ultimate loss when Nicolai Munch-Hansen - her husband and father to their son, Morgan, and her best friend and closest musical companion for the last 13 years - tragi- cally and unexpectedly lost his life. He was artist who knew no fear, and as an integral part of a thriving musical community, Nicolai was revered by contemporaries, listeners, and admirers alike, as one of the Danish musical environment’s influential leaders. A spirit brave enough to recog- nize his own talents, whilst ambitious and humble enough to seek out those others who could strengthen him even more. These qualities can be neither taught nor learned, and yet he gravitated toward and surrounded himself with people who shared similar musical values and understan- dings all over the world.

As a creative outlet and method of working through her grief, Kira soon began write songs for her husband shortly after his passing. Songs about life, sudden death, and the shock that follows in such aftermath. This became a way of giving her sorrow a form and also created an aura of continuity, carried by Kira and Nicolai’s tender and strong common musi- cal language. The carefully selected circle of musicians on the album, all of whom seem to share the same musical DNA as Nicolai Munch- Hansen, have managed to create a sense of continuation as supposed to an end. Bassist Anders “AC” Christensen, who, with his departed spiritual brother’s insight, has been able to enter such an extremely tender situation and be the musical voice that speaks on Nicolai’s behalf, whilst being true to himself, as the music deserves.

Kira Skov has written a number of personal songs covering a wide gam- bit, and has also found comfort and inspiration in the Tibetan Book of the Dead, as well as poets and writers including Rainer Maria Rilke, Walt Whitman, Marilynne Robinson and Naja Marie Aidt.

The songs are based on Kira’s personal loss, but at the same time they capture a universal theme that touches all of us. With “The Echo Of You, she distinguishes herself again as being one of our foremost singers and songwriters who seem to top herself with each release, in a musical and creative creature that seems without limits.

The musical universe unfolds in an intimate space, with sparse instru- mentation: Electric and acoustic guitars, violin, cello, double bass, and percussion. They are songs centered around storytelling, with references to a songwritiong tradition that refers to, among others, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, and Townes Van Zandt.

Kenneth Knudsen / Oliver Hoiness - November Tango (STUNT RECORDS 2018)

Few Danish musicians are mentioned with greater

respect than keyboard player and composer Kenneth

Knudsen. His role as a developer of his own sounds,

timbres, and musical sequences is quite unique – and

widely appreciated internationally.

Kenneth Knudsen started as a jazz pianist in the 60s,

switched to the electrical keyboards and participated in

iconic groups like Secret Oyster and Entrance in the 70s,

led the animated rock band Anima and collaborated with

Sebastian, Palle Mikkelborg, and Niels-Henning Ørsted

Pedersen in the 80s, and formed the Bombay Hotel

with Mikkel Nordsø and Ole Theill in the 90s. Kenneth

Knudsen has recently been hailed as the most important

Danish keyboard player throughout the ages.

Kenneth Knudsen has not performed live for many years.

He has instead concentrated on creating new music in his

home studio, in collaborations with carefully selected

musicians in recent years behind a series of releases that

cannot be compared to anything else on the Danish scene

- or, for that matter, internationally.

Music created exclusively on digital instruments carries the

risk of becoming static and inorganic. Instead of clinically

created electronic rhythmic events and layers, Knudsen creates

forever changing musical spaces. Here, where nothing

sounds like something you’ve heard before and yet still

challenges the listener - but also engages, amazes and takes

you for a wild, unanticipated ride.

In NOVEMBER TANGO, we are also gifted with the presence

of guitarist Oliver Hoiness, whose bold and challenging

instrumental voice is a perfect contrast to Knudsen’s

original, ever-changing, and often beauty-seeking sounds

and progress.

It is also a meeting between generations. Where Kenneth

in the 80’s and 90’s was the major innovator of the use of

various keyboards, the nephew Oliver Hoiness has a similar

role today in the audio possibilities of the electric guitar (for

which he also received a Steppeulv Prize for in 2016).

Be open, take the music and let the two musical explorers

paint breathtaking soundscapes for your inner eye. Kenneth

Knudsens and Oliver Hoiness’s outstanding musical creativity

revives the soul.