IDIOSYNCRASY

On February 2nd 2024 I am releasing a new studio album titled IDIOSYNCRASY, exploring all the peculiarities and quirks of my musical identity. I have produced a teenager version of myself, warts and all.

Most of my adult life I have been working as a film actor. What fascinates me about filmmaking is how you can create a narrative flow from many smaller pieces through editing. Individual scenes and moments shot on different days are shuffled and reassembled into a new reality, a “mosaic of time”, as filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky once put it. On my new album I have applied the same method in the making of music.

As a child I used to put most of my life on tape. Everything from bird sounds and homemade radio plays to musical ideas with instruments. Sometimes the cassette player was recording without me realizing it. I have found tapes that document everyday life at home in the 1980s, for example an argument with my sister while my mum is cooking dinner in the background.

I have cataloged all the material and made a selection of excerpts that serve as vehicles for free, creative exploration. The only rule is that the original recording must be part of the final result. Using this dialogue between child and adult I aim to capture the search for identity through music. On the track Norwegian Pastoral for example, I have mixed children’s songs I sang for my dad in 1981, with a trip hop riff from 1998. In 2023 I have produced this duet between a 3-year-old and a-19-year-old version of myself.

When I grew up, my musical taste was very eclectic. My new album reflects these diverging preferences. The album features performances from tenor saxophonist Petter Wettre, and string quartet arrangements by composer Eivind Buene. This is inspired by Keith Jarrett’s attempt to mix jazz and classical music in the 1970ies, on albums such as Expectations (1972) and Arbour Zena (1976). Other important sources of inspiration for this album are Todd Rundgren, Herbie Hancock, Joni Mitchell, King Crimson, Steely Dan, Sonic Youth, Motorpsycho and a lot of obscure jazz fusion from the 1980ies and 1990ies. I often look back on earlier periods of my life to figure out what captured my attention at the time. I hope this album can serve as a time machine that takes you back and forth in music history. – Anders Danielsen Lie

IDIOSYNCRASY is produced by Anders Danielsen Lie. The album was recorded 1981-2023 at my home, in Larsville, ARC and Brageveien studios with engineers Lars Lien, Øyvind Røsrud and Erlend Mokkelbost. Mixed by Lars Lien and mastered by Espen Høydalsvik. The album will be available on limited edition LP and digital streaming.

Credits:
Composers: Anders Danielsen Lie/Eivind Buene/Bert Sommer
Lyricisrs: Anders Danielsen Lie/Bert Sommer
Arrangers: Anders Danielsen Lie/Eivind Buene (strykere)/Per Andersen (messingblåsere)
Producer: Anders Danielsen Lie
Mix: Anders Danielsen Lie/Lars Lien
Recording engineers: Anders Danielsen Lie/Erlend Mokkelbost/Øyvind Røsrud/Lars Lien
Mastering: Espen Høydalsvik
Performers: Anders Danielsen Lie/Petter Wettre/Sara Övinge/Ingvild Habbestad/Einar Kyvik Bauge/Frida Frederikke Waaler Wærvågen/Per Andersen/Terje Hugin/Brede Norderud/Trond Hüberts/Freddy Lyvad/Terje Kleven/Jan Fredrik Rasmussen/Inge Willumsen/Kjell Karlsen Martinsen

Press pics: Massimo Leardini