Contemporary Experimental Duo LEAGUS Shares New Album "Flora Eallin" in Full!
Today is the release on Is It Jazz? Records of Flora Eallin, the new album from contemporary experimental duo LEAGUS, feat. Nordnorsk Jazzensemble.
Leagus is a contemporary and experimental musical duo from Sápmi, Norway, whose music alternates between formal composed parts, open structures, and free improvisation, and ranges from subdued, minimalistic, psalm-like pieces, to more rock-oriented improvised parts.
On stage the duo are known for their energetic and visual concerts, and will be celebrating the release of Flora Eallin live today at the Jazzahead Clubnight at the Achat Hotel in Bremen, Germany. Details of the event and booking info can be found at https://jazzahead.de/en/program/leagus-no/
Flora Eallin is up & online now to stream it in full!
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When pianist Herborg Rundberg first formed LEAGUS in 2013 it was simply part of her Masters degree in Rhythmic Music at the Tromsø Conservatory. However when she was joined by guitarist Kristian Svalestad Olstad, who had himself received his Masters degree in the same subject two years earlier, LEAGUS became a fully fledged contemporary and experimental music duo.
Herborg's Sami background, and her work with traditional and classical music, along with Kristian´s extended use of guitar and electronics, forms the basis of LEAGUS' sound, which has, over time, developed into an exploratory and complex sonic universe. As for the name LEAGUS, the word itself originates in the area in which Herborg herself was born and is Sami slang for asking for something.
Having worked extensively on finding new, and different, interactions between the piano and the guitar, LEAGUS were able to develop a new and progressive kind of musical togetherness, creating a highly dynamic sound in which musical contrasts play a big part in the overall concept.
Alternating between formal composed parts, open structures and free improvisation that at times feel like subdued, minimalistic psalm-like pieces, whilst at other times features more rock-oriented improvised parts, LEAGUS released two albums, and were then approached by the NORTH NORWEGIAN JAZZ ENSEMBLE, who, in 2021 commissioned them to write a piece for the ten piece orchestra.
This resulted in Herborg and Kristian composing and arranging the piece Flora Eallin, which is out via Is It Jazz Records? in CD, Digital and Double LP formats. Cover art and design by Martin Losvik, who is well known for his distinctive style that can contain elements of humour, surrealism and darkness.
The album can be ordered here: https://isitjazzrecords.no/shop/ or on bandcamp: https://leagus.bandcamp.com/album/flora-eallin
