Hubro Music bringen Ende Januar die erste Solo-LP des Osloer Künstlers Espen Friberg, der seit einigen Jahren bereits als Musiker, Studiomann, Designer und Kurater aktiv ist. Das Album mit dem Titel “Sun Soon” basiert ganz auf dem Einsatz eines modularen Synthesizers und Feldaufnahmen. Letztere sind aus einem großen Fundus geschöpft und gekonnt in die restliche musikalische Textur verwoben. “Trucks, trash cans, flowing streams, lemon soda, horses and wandering mountains, find its place between slow melodies, scratching, sinus tones and bass lines”, heißt es beim Label. Dabei scheint immer auch die Veesöhnung von Gegensätzen im Fokus zu stehen: “Dissonances and harmonies come together in gliding transitions and abrupt stops, while an electronic willow flute sings and the sun is rising”. Das (keineswegs einfach romantisch verklärte) Wandern in der Natur ist ein zentrales Thema des Albums, doch ist die Geschichte des norwegischen Hallingdal, woher ein Großteil der Feldaufnahmen stammen, immer präsent. “Sun Soon” ist auch digital erhältlich.

“Espen Friberg is known as an artist, designer, illustrator, cartoon creator and musician, and has received numerous awards and stipends for his work. In the beginning of 2000 he was a part of establishing the design studio Yokoland, but later started his own studio. In addition to his visual practice he has built a sound studio consisting of complex synthesizer systems and a variety of obscure electronical instruments and effect processors. He has been a central person in experimental and electronic music in Norway. He started and runs the record company Take It Easy Policy in collaboration with Emil Høgset, and has been a curator for the concert series Rett Ned. Since 2005 he has participated in a long line of sample albums under different artist names, before releasing his first EP under his own name in 2015. After this he has released six different albums with Øivind Olsen, André Borgen and Marianne Røthe Arnesen. Friberg has been active on the concert stage, both as a solo artist and in different collaborations.” (Hubro)