Category Archives: Record reviews

Avant Joik: Live in Bergen reviews (in English and Chilean)

Loop: Avant Joik is the collaborative project of Norwegian Maja S. K. Ratkje on vocals and live electronics, Swedish Katarina Barruk on vocals and joik, and Finn Matti Aikio on live visuals. At first I thought that joik was an … Continue reading →

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Vannstand reviews (in English, Czech, Chilean)

Loop: (…) In Norway, as in other countries, the sea level has risen as a result of climate change. Ratkje declares: “Sometimes you find yourself playing something that grows stronger and stronger, or sounds bigger and bigger. Sea levels may … Continue reading →

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Works for String Orchestra, other reviews in Norwegian

Ukens anbefaling (Spellemann spesial): Maja S.K. Ratkje – Works for String Orchestra av Ola Nordahl 13.02.21, Musikkskriverier Det pågår noe så sjeldent som en liten estetisk debatt (eller krangel om du vil) i det norske samtidsmusikkmiljøet for tiden. (…) I … Continue reading →

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Corona lockdown concert for TUSK Festival 2020 reviewed in TQ Zine

by Rory Carr, TQ38/39/40, a TUSK Virtual special triple issue, published Jan 2021 “There’s a clichéd joke about watching live electronic music shows which says you might as well be watching someone read their emails. The physical gestures required to … Continue reading →

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Works for String Orchestra reviewed by Dagens Nyheter (SE)

5/5 (…) I händerna på denna stråkorkester blir det en allvarsam lek där det destruktiva – verket är inspirerat av såväl myten om Atlantis, översvämningarna i Venedig och den rådande klimatkrisen – är en förutsätting för det konstruktiva. En mirakulös … Continue reading →

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Echo Chamber 3.0/Ekkokammer 3.0 reviews in Norwegian

(…)Verket til Ratkje er, på mange måter, en collage av hennes egne erfaringer som kunstner, satt sammen med hva de ni vokalistene har erfart. Og satt sammen er dette aldeles nydelig gjennomført. (…)Vi får gospel i form av «Working on … Continue reading →

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Echo Chamber 3.0 reviewed by The Wire and The Free Jazz Collective

Julian Cowley, The Wire: Echochamber is all about what it means to have a voice, metaphorically as well as physically,” explains Maja Ratkje at the outset. Composing this intricate work she interviewed members of Trondheim Voices, and made exact transcriptions … Continue reading →

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Lekne melodier og beethovensk gestikk (NO)

av Magnus Andersson, Musikkritikk.no (…)musikerne spiller som om har musikken under huden, som om relasjonen til den er nær, og frasene veller ut av dem med like deler naturlighet som nødvendighet. (…) Platen består av to verk som hvert varer … Continue reading →

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Works for String Orchestra reviewed by Guy Rickards

Rarely has the notion of the collapse of everything we know been expressed so compellingly. Trondheim Solistene’s performances of both works are impeccable in their precision and musical understanding. They sound as if they have been playing both works for decades not a few years or, in the case of Pictures, weeks. Continue reading →

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Sult album reviews in Norwegian, Danish and Swedish

“Det låter fantastisk bra, også ut av sin opprinnelige sammenheng, med en utpreget taktilitet” Continue reading →

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Sult album reviews in English, German and Italian

The Quietus: Ratkje has produced a rare recording that balances beautiful, uncanny song, rich, acoustic composition and startling originality in equal measure. Continue reading →

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Will Not Split

The Sound Projector: Two more cassettes from Kassettkultur are by Maja Ratkje and Bjørn Hatterud, both made at the same time and only ever sold together as a pair; “will not split” is the familiar rallying cry of antique dealers … Continue reading →

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“And Sing…” reviews in Norwegian

Sangen er så sentral at en får inntrykk av at sangen selv tidvis tar bolig i instrumentariet i Oslo Sinfonietta. Og da synger alt! Continue reading →

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Rum Music: The Best Of 2016 With Russell Cuzner at The Quietus

It was another prolific year for Maja Ratkje, the polymathic Norwegian artist, that saw the release of several albums from And Sing’s matching of her extraordinary vocals with contemporary classical ensembles, through a collaboration with the modern jazz band Poing, … Continue reading →

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Still Eating Ginger Bread for Breakfast reviews (in English, Norwegian, German)

Boomkat: Pre-eminent free improv unit SPUNK offer a feast of uncanny, otherworldly sound in Still Eating Gingerbread For Breakfast, which is a recording of both sets from their 20th anniversary concert at Nasjonal Jazzscene in Oslo, December 2015. It forms … Continue reading →

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And sing… reviewed by Bad Alchemy (DE)

Wenn Maja singt, schläft niemand. Continue reading →

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Crepuscular Hour reviewed by Nieuwe Noten (NL)

De Noorse componiste en elektronica producer Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje schreef ‘Crepuscular Hour’ in 2010 in opdracht van het Ultima Festival in Oslo. Het werk heeft een markante bezetting, bestaande uit drie koren, drie instrumentalisten – gitaar, tenorsaxofoon en hoorn, … Continue reading →

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Ingen over ingen ved siden (NO)

Tor Hammerø blogg: Maja S.K. Ratkje er en artist som har et helt unikt uttrykk. Her gir hun oss flere eksempler på det – både som komponist og sammen med gruppa Poing. Maja S.K. Ratkje har noe helt spesielt å … Continue reading →

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Crepuscular Hour reviewed by Ondarock (IT)

Delle due rappresentazioni dell’oratorio di un’ora scarsa “Crepuscular Hour” – la prima è avvenuta nella sua Oslo nel 2010 – la norvegese Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje (classe 1973) ha scelto, per l’incisione su disco, la seconda in Uk del 2012, … Continue reading →

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Voz humana, música electrónica (ESP)

La de Maja S. K. Ratke es una obra de escucha atenta, de colores y matices infinitos El Pais 6 JUN 2016 La compositora y cantante noruega Maja S. K. Ratkje trabaja principalmente desde tres frentes: la voz humana, la … Continue reading →

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