Pizzicato 3/2011: “(…)Höhepunkt der Einspielung aber erscheint mir ‘HVIL’ aus dem Jahre 2008, bezeichnet als ‘das Flehen der Erde an die Menschheit’ und komponiert von Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje, geboren 1973. Hier muss man allerdings bedauern, dass man die Worte nicht versteht und keine Übersetzung mitgeliefert wird (das kostet unseren Supersonic!). Dennoch sind diese atonale […]
Konfrontation mit dem Tode (DE) Read More »
MusicWeb International:
Unless even the mention of Death is taboo for you, consider hearing this disc. There may be no joy in this enjoyment, but there is much beauty, sincerity and high art. This disc gave me one of the strongest musical experiences I have ever had.
RECORDING OF THE MONTH: Come Away Death Read More »
“Some of the most exciting material arrives from the old guard however, in particular Ultralyd’s shimmering noir soundtracks on ‘Salinity And Brine’ and Maja Ratkje’s ‘Breathe’, which features some of her signature atavistic vocal contortions set amidst a layered soundscape populated by opaque environmental recordings and howling drone tones.”
Twenty Centuries of Stony Sleep reviews (in English and Norwegian) Read More »
“Marianne Beate Kiellands plate om døden er nesten avskrekkende konsekvent.”
Come Away Death reviews in Norwegian Read More »
Octopus: “Quatrième album de Spunk, Kantarell (chanterelle en français) possède un avantage incontestable sur les précédents : son titre est enfin prononçable pour les non norvégophones ! La musique, toujours entièrement improvisée par Kristin Andersen (trompette, etc.), Lene Grenager (violoncelle, etc.), Maja Ratkje (voix, électronique, etc.) et Hild Sofie Tafjord (cor, etc.) n’a, quant à
Kantarell reviews in French Read More »
In perfekter Balance an der Schnittstelle von elektronischer und akustischer Klangwelten bewegt sich dieses Langzeitquartett auf seinem bereits vierten Album. Das hat zur Folge, dass die Herkünfte der Sounds nicht nachvollziehbar sind und bei allem Schwergewicht in der Schwebe bleiben…. Resultat: ein sperriges, in seiner Sperrigkeit lustvolles, offensives Album.
Kantarell reviews in German Read More »
Spunk samtalar, men de är också experter på att lura öronen. Ofta är det omöjligt att identifiera ljudkällorna. På “Kantarell” – tror jag – går det lättare. Framför allt framträder Lene Grenagers cello starkare, klarare, mer i centrum av de musikaliska linjerna. Inledande ”Tremble” är en vanvettigt spännande, pirrande öppning som byggs upp av statiska
Kantarell reviews in Swedish Read More »
“Whatever the case, this piece is just brilliant. Clever, sexy, dramatic, dynamic, humorous, and dangerous. The fact that it emerged from an improvised process is all the more impressive”
Kantarell reviews in English Read More »
Full of invention, humour, absurdity, and a distinct lack of preciousness that is a welcome antidote to many over-manicured laptop releases.
Music for Gardening reviews (in English and Swedish) Read More »
“Norwegian noise artists Maja Ratkje and Hild Sofie Tafjord (Fe-mail) signed for the industrial influences on ‘Travel Now Journey Infinitely’ and these parts especially make Trinacria sound like something completely new.” “Travel Now Journey Infinitely is a courageous crossover that the black metal genre hasn’t seen in this form yet, and that alone deserves respect. Always good, sometimes sublime, it definitely deserves to be checked out by fans of the dark arts, but also by everybody else who’s into transgressing artistic frontiers.”
Travel Now Journey Infinitely reviews (in English, German, Dutch, French, Norwegian) Read More »
On Passing Images, his second solo release, Haltli recalls traditional music from his homeland – a psalm from the western fjords, a waltz from the village where he grew up close to the Swedish border, a song of Romany travellers – and creates something fresh and singular. This is gentle and plaintive music mostly, carefully
Passing Images reviews in English and German Read More »
“Frode Haltlis Passing Images er så vakker at den aldri burde vært anmeldt.”
Passing Images reviews in Swedish and Norwegian Read More »
The Wire:
Ratkje’s extenuated groans and Melin’s juddering scrawl recalls the intensity of Keiji Haino’s duets with Peter Brötzmann.
Illegal Parking reviewed by The Wire Read More »
Nowamuzyka 2006: Jeśli ktoś czytał mój przewodnik po płytach Rune Gramofon, to być może pamięta zachwyt (który absolutnie podtrzymuję) dla solowego krążka Mai Ratkje – “Voice”. Od tego czasu postanowiłem śledzić uważnie wszystkie jej przedsięwzięcia. A jest w czym wybierać – kwartet SPUNK, jego połowa – Fe-Mail i duety. Jeśli ktoś czytał mój przewodnik po
Co słychać u Maji Ratkje? (PL) Read More »
The New York Times: “Fe-Mail and Carlos Giffoni is probably the most pedestrian sound on “Northern Stains” (Important), the product of a recent encounter between Carlos Giffoni, an electronic improviser, and Fe-Mail, a noise-proficient Norwegian electro-duo. Mr. Giffoni met his collaborators — Maja Ratkje, a respected avant-garde vocalist, and Hild Sofie Tafjord, who plays French
Northern Stains reviews (in English and Spanish) Read More »
“Leute, das Ding hier geht mächtig ab und bereitet extrem viel verdorbene Freude!”
Voluptuous Vultures reviews (in English, German, Spanish, Russian, Swedish) Read More »
Listening to the record, you become aware of the body as a phenomenal sound source, suddenly noticing the musical potential of your gurgling stomach, the blood squeaking in your ears, your knuckles popping.
Adventura Anatomica reviews (in English and Italian) Read More »
A searing and equally soaring experimental noise record that centers around her voice to create sounds that range from soft lulling hush to a viscious cycle of noise.
Stalker reviews (in English, German, Norwegian) Read More »
“At times sounding like two cartoons at the same time, then mating whales, then a whole marching army to end with the amplification of the smallest forms of life. ” “Post-human Identities fremviser det beste eksempelet på musikalsk menneske-data-maskin-interaksjon jeg har hørt siden … vel, Maja Ratkjes soloplate Voice fra 2002.”
Post-Human Identities reviews (in English, Dutch and Norwegian) Read More »
Named after Pippi Longstocking´s favourite word, nothing to do with bodily fluids, Spunk are a Norwegian improv quartet who share their fictional heroin´s feistiness and insistence on doing things a bit differently. The quartet are about to celebrate their tenth anniversary and have marked the occasion with this quite wonderful new album. I laughed out
En aldeles forferdelig sykdom reviews (in English and Norwegian) Read More »