Little surprise that this two-man Norwegian act has connections to the likes of Ultralyd and Noxagt -- Norwegianism, the duo's second release, merrily and loudly slots in with those bands' simultaneous embrace of no wave-inspired rock and improvisational insanity. Literally recorded in a one-day session, the album starts with the rumbling screech and clatter of "Daily Three" and pretty much doesn't stop from that point on, the breaks between songs seeming more like pauses for breath than discrete ending points. Occasionally there'll be a totally quiet number like "Entry Two," all soft echo and glitch minimalism, but that's the exception rather than the rule. Anders Hana plays, beats, abuses, and whips his guitar into various sonic conclusions not always dreamed of by the instrument's inventors -- the occasional regular riff or melody in a song like "Daily Four" exists only to be rapidly disposed of -- while percussionist Morten Olsen sounds like he's auditioning for a Pig Destroyer cover band out to wreck itself on speedballs. (That said, it's the fragmentary approach to his instruments -- one second hyperspeed, the next second slow and considered, as the compressed electronic beat IDM aggro of "Gay One" readily demonstrates -- that makes him all the more weirdly fascinating.) Shimmering moments of strange background ambience, as on "Gay Two" and "Entry One," only make the freaked-out moments sound all the more so, which was doubtless the intent, while the stretched out whine/drone on "Ibiza One" shows another side of Hana's work not immediately apparent elsewhere. ~ Ned Raggett
This is the second full-length release from Norway's MoHa!. Due to the super-fertile Norwegian improv scene, MoHa! are boldly leading the way with a sound that encompasses the best of rock, free jazz and electronic music. Despite the enormity and broad spectrum of sounds that constitute their unique style, it is the work of just two talented young men, Anders Hana on guitar, obsolete electronics and a pallette of effects pedals, and Morten J. Olsen on drums, triggering a multitude of noises from each skin and cymbal using custom-built software. Having played together in various projects for close to 10 years, they have developed a high level of control and understanding in their musical communication. They compliment and confront each other, with sharp and mechanical movements on one hand, free flowing and loose gestures on the other. Since the release of their debut Raus Aus Stavanger in early 2006, they have done considerable touring, both in Europe and in USA. Norwegianism was recorded towards the end of a European tour in December 2006 and is an example of how a MoHa! live show could have sounded like at that point. It's a real scorcher; short, intense, to the point and brimming with head explosions, youthful energy and urgency. MoHa! is part of the N-Collective, an international conglomerate of musicians, composers, improvisors and artists.
Recording information: Studio Forces Motrices, Geneva, Switzerland (12/15/2006).Uncut (p.90) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "The duo use guitar, drums and obsolete electronic gear in their bravura improv pieces, which are executed with laser precision..."
The Wire (p.55) - "Norwegian duo Moha! deal in sonic splatter, revelling in a restless brew of jazz, electronica and noise..."
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