Considering its title is a hybrid of the Norwegian words for "sun" and "dust," I almost expected a drastic change from this duois usually frigid, frost-laden landscapes. Even more so upon finding out that the primary source material utilized by the duo was that of a trumpet, which to me seems like anything but a cold, isolationist instrument. There are some notable variations in the sound of Solst√∏v, but as a whole it remains a faithful addition to the Pjusk discography.
The trumpet seemed an odd choice for me, as I am used to hearing it more in the context of chaotic free jazz or in a harsh, militaristic setting, neither of which are conducive to the calm, peaceful sound I had come to expect from this project.Its appearance on "Streif," featuring Sleep Orchestra, immediately put my concerns of a drastic departure at ease, because while a trumpet note cut through immediately (paired with a processed variation that sound more synth-like), it drifted into a lighter, gauzy sound as the song went on.
Pjusk (with SaffronKeira) demonstrates a similar pattern on "Gl√∏tt," pairing shards of pure trumpet with ghostly wisps of processed sound, with the former bursting through at times aggressively compared to the minimalism that surrounds it.It almost sounds as if a guitar appears on "Falmet" to nicely offset the obvious horn, resulting in a piece that is perhaps ore akin to traditional jazz than the ambient abstraction around it.
My favorite pieces are the ones that go in slightly more bizarre directions, however."Diffus" bends the sound of the horn to resemble pained screams amidst a click and reverb heavy backing, resulting in sounds that are familiar, yet extremely difficult to identify, and taking on a rather dark tact overall."Demring", on the other hand, sounds like synthetically created field recordings (chimes and wind), that mimics nature, albeit imperfectly.As a whole the piece stays rather open and spacious, with the hint of melody here and there.
"Gl√∏d," on the other hand, seems pieced together from conventional elements, like textures acting as a rhythm, melodic notes, and maybe another guitar.Again the trumpet cuts through aggressively, but in a way that fits well, and rather than being disruptive just feels like a dynamic addition to the more peaceful moments."Skimt" is almost twice as long as many of the pieces here, and the duo (with Yui Onodera) uses that extra length to build up an appropriately level of drama, mixed with hints of rhythm.As the mix between sounds is constantly changing and moving, the piece stays fresh throughout.
Solstøv is a bit of sun throughout the duo’s usual arctic soundscapes, but not so much as to drastically depart from their previous works.Instead it feels like a variation on their sound, like a seasonal shift in a climate that never warm no matter what time of year.It might seem a bit lighter, but the cold is always present, as is Pjusk's unique and complex style of composition.
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