SPUNK

Watch SPUNK’s 25 years anniversary film made by Lasse Marhaug here!

Whereas much has been said about the eclectic nature of SPUNK, there is something seamless and holistic about their music. SPUNK’s albums are not a hotchpotch of borrowed musical references, disjointed arrangements and incongruous contrasts. Any ruminations on blurring the boundaries between composition and improvisation or high and low art make no sense. This is music from a new generation for a new generation. Listening to SPUNK, one is flushed down the plughole of time into a dark dank drain to be eventually washed-up on some new musical shore. The contribution and combination of Kristin Andersen, Lene Grenager, Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje, and Hild Sofie Tafjord is in no way contrived. SPUNK are musicians who are part of a zeitgeist who, in their very essence, are pluralistic, in and out of certain traditions, and belong only where they have arrived. Some strange and strong cultural phenomenon is abound and SPUNK are part of it. (John Richards)

SPUNK’s home page

Fred Frith likes SPUNK (To Dagsavisen 2013):
Last time I heard SPUNK was phenomenal! They are among the most exciting improvising groups in the world right now. (Fred Frith)

SPUNK has existed since 1995, and have made concerts over the whole world. SPUNK records album on the Norwegian label Rune Grammofon.

Pippi Longstocking invents the word “spunk” and then spends one day looking for a meaning for the word. With the same attitude SPUNK freely creates improvised music, where each members individual expression matters equally. SPUNK was formed in 1995 and is an active ensemble both in Norway and internationally, live and on records. The concert space is very important for SPUNK and almost acts as a fifth member of the ensemble, as seen in their site specific installation Reir and Lys, or in concerts with live video. SPUNK is Kristin Andersen, Hild Sofie Tafjord, Maja S.K. Ratkje and Lene Grenager.

SPUNK performs most often as quartet playing concerts with improvised music. We have also made several collaborative/extended projects such as:

DIKHROOS

LIGHT/LYS

NEST/REIR

In 2012 we finished our 12 year long project Das Wohltemperierte SPUNK!

SPUNK is:

Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje –voice, various, electronics

Hild Sofie Tafjord – French horn, electronics

Lene Grenager – cello

Kristin Andersen Høvin – trumpet, recorder

SPUNK’s discography:

Det eneste jeg vet er at det ikke er en støvsuger (Rune Grammofon 1999)

Filtered Through Friends (Rune Gramofon 2001) (remix album)

Den øverste toppen av en blåmalt flaggstang (Rune Grammofon 2002)

En aldeles forferdelig sykdom (Rune Grammofon 2005)

Kantarell (Rune Grammofon 2009)

LIGHT (Rune Grammofon 2011)

Das Wohltemperierte SPUNK (Rune Grammofon 2013)

Adventura Botanica (Rune Grammofon 2014)

Live in Molde (with Joëlle Léandre) (+3dB 2014)

Still Eating Ginger Bread for Breakfast – The 20th Anniversary Concert (Rune Grammofon 2016)

Link to concert reviews

This is SPUNK’s 10th Aniversary booklet. You can get it on request.

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