The Bergen-based guitarist Stein Urheim made a profound impression with his album ‘Kosmolodi’, which was released in an extremely limited edition on vinyl in 2012. ‘Stein Urheim’ is a playful and cohesive eponymous album where he takes his very idiosyncratic instrumental music to new and subtle heights. On this album, in addition to guitars Urheim plays a wide variety of stringed instruments from different corners of the world. This 180g vinyl version is limited edition and includes the CD of the album.
Urheim’s music is permeated by a kind of exoticism. It is thoughtful without losing its sense of humour. The influences of jazz, North American and West African blues, and folk music from all over the world are obvious. Urheim himself says that among his sources of inspiration are the American composers Lou Harrison and Steve Reich, Chinese gu qin
music, langeleik (Norwegian zither) music from Valdres, and Ornette Coleman.
Stein Urheim has already released two critically acclaimed albums on Bugge Wesseltoft’s Jazzland label together with singer and musician Mari Kvien Brunvoll. He has been a member of Gabriel Fliflet’s band Aresong and HP Gundersen’s highly respected drone band The Last Hurrah.
Personnel: Stein Urheim (guitars, flutes, harmonica, slide tamboura, fretless bouzouki, gu qin, mandolin, langeleik, charango, banjo, analog synths and effects), Jørgen Traeen (modular synth and effects)