Susanne Sundfør

Country of origin:

Norway

Type of music generally:

Alternative pop with strong progressive rock roots

Status:

Most recent release, Music For People In Trouble (2017)

See also:

Susanne Sundfør's site

Wikipedia's entry on Susanne Sundfør

Comparisons:

Clearly influenced by bands like Renaissance and other operatic progressive rock

Covers/own material:

Own/cowritten/covers

General comments:

Extremely talented Norwegian singer-songwriter. (christina_skov@hotmail.com)

Her music is very operatic in the progrock sense. She has a wonderful sense of drama and a lovely voice and puts together very interesting songs. (Neile)

I'm glad we checked out Susanne Sundfør—we are most entranced by the first couple of tracks on The Brothel but I also like a bunch of The Silicone Veil. Need to listen to her more—we're just beginning to get familiar with it. There's definitely some great stuff here though. The first track of The Brothel is especially magical! (Jessica Spurling)

Recommended first album:

If you're not interested in progressive rock, Ten Love Songs is her most conventional of the ones I've heard. Otherwise, The Brothel or The Silicone Veil. (Neile)

Recordings:

• Susanne Sundfør (2007)
• Take One (2008)
• The Brothel (2010)
• A Night at Salle Pleyel (live, 2011)
• The Silicone Veil (2012)
• Ten Love Songs (2015)
• Music For People In Trouble (2017)

The Brothel

Release info:

2010—EMI (Norway)

Availability:

Wide in Europe

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended if you like progressive pop/rock

Group members:

Susanne Sundfør—vocals, piano, Fender Rhodes, synthesizers, vibraphone, glockenspiel, marimba, sansula, drum programming, string arrangements, tambourine

Guest artists:

Lars Horntveth—lap steel guitar, electric and acoustic guitars, bass guitar, baritone guitar, synth bass, bass clarinet, vibraphone, marimba, synthesizers, marxophone, kokle, percussion, water harp, piano, drum programming, string arrangements
Morten Ovenild—synthesizers
Gard Nilssen—drums
Frode Larsen—violin
Øyvind Fossheim—violin
Nora Taksdal—viola
Emery Cardas—cello
Hans Petter Bang—contrabass
Erik Johannessen—trombone, tuba
Heming Valebjørg—snare drum, timpani
Martin Horntveth—additional drum programming, orchestral bass drum, cymbas
Jørgen Træn—additional drum programming/editing

Produced by:

Lars Horntveth

Comments:

One of the best albums of the year. (christina_skov@hotmail.com)

I'm not generally one for this kind of very dramatic music, but this is irresistible. It's over the top at times, yes, but also well-constructed, powerful, and gorgeous, and I really like Susanne Sundfør's vocals. (Neile)

The Silicone Veil

Release info:

2012—EMI (Norway)

Availability:

Wide in Europe

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended if you like progressive pop/rock

Group members:

Susanne Sundfør—vocals, piano, synthesizers, Fender Rhodes, electric suitcase piano, synth bass, vibraphone, autoharp, drum programming, string arrangements

Guest artists:

Lars Horntveth—bass guitar, synthesizers, lap steel guitar, pedal steel guitar, acoustic guitar, vibraphone, tubular bells, synth bass, church organ, piano, drum programming, string arrangements
Gard Nilssen—drums
Øystein Moen—synth bass (6), church organ (8)
Jørgen Træn—additional drum programming and editing, electronics
Sunniva Rødland Wettre—harp
Erik Johannessen—trombone
Line Horntveth—tuba
Stian Westerhus—electronics (1)
Trondheimsolistene:
     Anders Larsen—violin
     Hilde Gimse—violin
     Erling Skaufel—violin
     Anna Adolfsson Vestad—violin
     Fride Bakken Johansen—violin
     Daniel Turcha—violin
     Tora Stoland Ness—violin
     Ingrid Wisur—violin
     Karl Jonatan Lilja—violin
     Frøydis Tøsse—viola
     Bergmund Wall Skaslien—viola
     Lars Marius Hølås—viola
     Cecilie Koch—cello
     Marit Aspås—cello
     Tabita Berglund—cello
     Rolf Hoff Baltzersen—contrabass

Produced by:

Lars Horntveth and Susanne Sundfør

Comments:

It's true that the first three tracks ("Diamonds," "White Foxes," "Rome" are the standouts, but the rest of it has grown on me and now I enjoy this whole album. "The Silicone Veil" is also a great track. And those first three are knock-outs. (Neile)

The first two tracks are very good but I won't be coming back to listen to the rest anytime soon (mixplusik@gmail.com)

Ten Love Songs

Release info:

2015—Sonnet Sound—SONSOU10CD

Availability:

Wide

Ecto priority:

Highly recommended

Group members:

Susanne Sundfør—vocals, synthesizers, acoustic guitar, autoharp, harmonium, celesta, cembalo, drum programming, grand piano, rhodes, percussion

Guest artists:

Gard Nilssen—drums, percussion
Lars Horntveth—classical guitar, synthesizers
Nikolai Hængsle Eilertsen—bass guitar
Anthony Gonzalez—El guitar, synthesizers, drum programming
Jon Bates—synthesizers, drum programming, electronics, microwave oven
Jørgen Træn—synthesizers, drum programming, electronics
Josh Humphrey—electronics
Abe Seiferth—electronics
Nils Martin Larsen—synthesizers
Morten Qvenild—celesta
Leon Dewan—synthesizers
Morten Mykelbust—acoustic guitar
Røyksopp—healing, aura displacement, synthesizers
Iver Sandøy—percussion Trondheimsolistene:
     Anders Larsen—1st violin
     Anna Adolfsson Vestad—1st violin
     Erling Skaufel—1st violin
     Stina Elisabet Andersson—1st violin
     Åse Vaåg Aaknes—1st violin
     Tora Stoland Ness—2nd violin
     Hilde Kjøll—2nd violin
     Ingrid Martine Wisur—2nd violin
     Nella Penjin—2nd violin
     Frøydis Tøsse—viola
     Anne Vaåg Aaknes—viola
     Ragnhild Torp—viola
     Cecilie Koch—cello
     Marit Aspås—cello
     Eivind Rossbach Heier—cello
     Rolf Hoff Baltzersen—double bass

Produced by:

Susanne Sundfør; (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10); and Lars Horntveth (4); co-produced by Anthony Gonzales (6); additional production by Jon Bates (4); additional production by by Røyksopp

Comments:

"Let Me In" sounds quite nice. Not sure how I feel about "Fade Away" yet but it merits another listen or two. Definitely looking forward to the album regardless. (Jessica Spurling)

Despite familiar Susan Sunfør instrumentation, this is quite a different album in tone for her, almost alternative pop though still quite orchestral and dramatic. I wish she'd started the album with the powerful "Accelerate"—don't think the short "Darlings," despite its thematic import, adds much to the album musically as a starter (maybe as a final track?) and without it the album starts with a lot more energy. There are some incredibly catchy songs here, especially "Accelerate" and "Delirious." Overall a strong album, and one of my favourites of the year. (Neile)

One of the best albums of the year. (k_hester_k@yahoo.co.nz, timjy@sbcglobal.net, mixplusik@gmail.com)

Music For People In Trouble

Release info:

2017—Bella Union

Availability:

Wide

Ecto priority:

Recommended for Sundfør fans

Group members:

Susanne Sundfør—vocals, grand piano, synthesizers, acoustic guitar, programming

Guest artists:

Jørgen Træen—synthesizers, double bass, electric guitar, programming
Jesse Chandler—flute, carinet, also clarinet
Greg Leisz—pedal steel guitar
Gard Nillson's Acoustic Unity:
     Gard Nillson—drums, percussion
     André Rolighteten—saxophone
     Frans Porter Eldh—double bass
Megan Kovacs—kanles
John Grant—vocals
Jon Balke—grand piano
Erik Johan Bringsvor—acoustic guitar
Andres Roberts—spoken words
Lewis Sebastian Key-Thatcher—spoken words

Produced by:

Susanne Sundfør and Jørgen Træen

Comments:

While this has a few great tracks, sadly I mostly find it uneven and overall a disappointment. (Neile)

Further info:

Collaborations include:

• "Kapitulera" with Timbuktu on his albums Sagolandet (2011) and Pusselbitar (2012)
• "Away" with Morten Myklebust on his self-titled album (2012)
• "Death Hanging (Live at NRK P3)" single with Susanna and Siri Nilsen (2012)
• "Oblivion" with M83 on the Oblivion soundtrack (2013)
• "Last thoughts at the stake" with BOA on their album mOOn Over tOwns (2013)
• "Running to the Sea" with Røyksopp on their album The Inevitable End (2014)
• "Let Me In" with Kleerup on his EP As If We Never Won (2015)