(((O))) Review: Nordsnø Ensemble feat. Kit Downes – Ett Omaka Par

Award-winning German octet Nordsnø Ensemble have dedicated themselves to blend in the underworld of the Scandinavian folklore and pushing the sounds of Jazz into a world like you’ve never heard it before. Joining forces with the collaboration is UK pianist Kit Downes, leading the charge, combining the surrealism, nightmarish realities, belief, and fantasy in all of its true form.

Their third album released on the sts|sts label entitle Ett Omaka Par (An Odd Couple) was recorded in two days at the Phillipus & Rimbert Church in Hamburg in May of 2022. The lyrics which are sung in Swedish, go through these intense environments that the ensemble brought to the table.

The ensemble consists of Anna Berglund on vocals, Vincent Dombrowski on saxophone and flute, Ken Dombrowski on trombone, Lucy Liebe on guitar, Sandro Saez on piano, Vincent Niessen on bass, Lukas Schwegmann on percussion, and Johannes Metzger on drums.

For Downes, he adds in that layer with his church organ which was evidential from his ECM release of Obsidian back in 2018, the way he plays it throughout the goosebumping scenario on ‘Tvivel’ you can imagine Church goers nearly leaping out of their seats as Downes hits those notes so hard, you can feel a pin drop, hitting at the exact moment as those notes blare off into the night.

Once the ensemble comes in at the 5-minute mark, all bets are off. They channel the arrangements in which David Bedford had done prior to his collaborations with Lol Coxhill, Mike Oldfield and Kevin Ayers, ranging in the themes behind Nurses Song with Elephants and the ‘Garden of Love’.

But it’s the attitude and driven-force that hurls you in, taking you to the stars with a bossa-nova turned heavy rockin’ orientation with the complexity behind ‘Midnattssol’ which speaks of Norwegian jazz-rock trio Krokofant that comes to mind, mixed in with the insanity blurring out of the evening sky.

Downes uses his organ to channel his Thelonoius Monk technique more of the bossa-nova vibes once more on ‘Slutet’. He plays vibrantly whilst the horn section between the Dombrowski brothers flow into other worlds, making their pit stop in Brazil, viewing the scenery as a painting, portraying the landscape of Bahia.

In the midsection of ‘Hopp’ we get to hear Vincent Niessen and Lucy Liebe, sharing this melodic improvisation while Metzger and Saez tag along into the warm-like beaches as they play their parts well to witness something warm and something heartfelt that just hits you, never knowing when the night will ever end.

With all of its hard work, the Ensemble and Downes have created their own unique form of music. And we’ve got to experience the magic in all of its glory.