In this exuberant, joyful and utterly surprising piece for BIT20 + Møster/Træen, Øyvind Torvund counterpoints lush, dreamlike easy-listening tunes with waves of noise and blip-blops from modular synthesizers. The world of exotica language is expanded and reimagined with a harsher, noisier electronic sound world, incorporating abstract modernist phrases and space-age synth textures.
The exotica-genre originates from the 1950s, with composers like Les Baxter and Martin Denny. This was a constructed, easy-listening folk music, which took it’s listeners to "exotic" places. The original Exotica music was often based on saturated Hollywood versions of the musical language of Ravel and Debussy, with added conga-beats and showers of vibraphone.
For this event, a complete performance of The Exotica Album will be followed by an open discussion about the piece. This is one in a series of our MAKS ÅPEN events, in which you are invited to ask any questions you like of the musicians or the composer. The conversation will be hosted by BIT20’s Artistic Director Alwynne Pritchard and will be followed by a second performance of extracts from the piece, in collaboration with our very own BIT20 Club.
Saxophone: Kjetil Møster
Electronics: Jørgen Træen
Conductor: Trond Madsen
In collaboration with BrassWind.
Commission supported by Bestillingsverk Arts Council Norway.
