Erlend Oye - Unrest (album released 10.02.03) Reviewed

Erlend Oye
Erlend Oye - Unrest (album released 10.02.03) Reviewed Erlend Oye - Sudden Rush (single released 27.01.03)
Unrest (album released 10.02.03)
Erlend Oye initially came to prominence as one half of the laid back folk rock duo Kings of Convenience. They were positioned at the forefront of the new acoustic movement in 2001 thanks to a critically acclaimed and propitiously titled debut album 'Quiet Is The New Loud'. The album moved out of its intended indie rock niche to find acceptance as the chill-out album of choice for frazzled clubbers. Erlend Oye cemented his chilled-out reputation by providing deadpan vocals for Royksopp's hugely successful debut album 'Melody AM'.

Oye has now conceived a plan that involves recording one album in ten cities with ten different producers. He has apparently chosen the top leftfield electronic collaborators, Morgan Geist, Schneider TM, Jolly Music, Bjorn Torske, and Prefuse 73 AKA Scott Herron among others.
Despite working in disparate musical genres Oye has previously pointed out that there is a common thread running through his work: "Whatever type of music I sing, I bring my optimistic sadness, put my yellow filter on life and welcome everyone into my hazy world."
The result of all his jet setting is the album 'Unrest' which has spawned the single 'Sudden Rush'. Existing electro chill-out fans should lap up Oye's ambient synth pop and melancholy vocals. Personally, I thought it was a particularly unpleasant reminder of how horrifically tedious it was to grow up watching Top Of The Pops in the eighties.

Gavin Eves

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