Unni Løvlid’s first release in five years, “Lux”, is fearless, challenging and pitiless – all at the same time. Her previous album, “Rite”, was comprised of self-composed songs in what could be called an experimental electronica landscape, and received glowing reviews both in Norway and abroad. On “Lux” she brings religious folk songs and a lullaby from the county of Sogn og Fjordane into a completely new soundscape.
LUX
On “Lux” Unni’s intimate, down-to-earth presentation style of the often dark and powerful religious folk songs confronts the urge for tonal exploration in contemporary music. Her texts revolve around humble people, around death and around hope. She invited her friend Håkon Thelin (Poing, Oslo Sinfonietta, Ensemble Modern), a virtuoso contemporary bass player and winner of the Spellemannspris (Norwegian Grammy), to collaborate with her on this project. They have worked closely together for many years.
Håkon writes in the cover notes: “Despite Unni’s sometimes slow and sensual way of communicating the text, the melodies retain a glowing quality, as though the word belongs to the earth while the melody stretches into a sky filled with desire. And for me, what is most beautiful about Unni’s singing is that I always feel that her voice itself is smiling and casting a warm light onto the note.”
Another key element of the album is the duo Draup, who play on glasses, evoking a nearly extraterrestrial atmosphere. Unni has also invited the well-known contemporary composer Jon Øyvind Næss to write the arrangement for “Ned i Vester”.
