Traveling to Nordland

Last Updated 4:34 p.m., Oct. 25th--In bold below

Not only is Nordland a part of Norway, (really, it is), but it is also a place to travel within the parallel universe of Audioworld. This land was generously crafted by the amazing, and ever-creating Binärpilot.

If you haven't heard already, Binärpilot (aka Alexander Støver) is a very talented musician from...you guessed it, the Future!..Oh, and Norway. (You can read my interview with him here).

[Album artwork done by Are Kleivan]

In Nordland, his most recent album, Støver continues to deftly weave and manipulate the notes of music, and the bodies of his audience; which has been craving this new release. He has been working on Nordland for several years, practically since the release of his last album, Robot Wars in 2007.

"Three years, on and off," says Støver. "It all depends on life, really. I certainly would love to produce more, but with working full-time there's only weekends and vacations to spend."

He estimates it takes about a month of work per song, and he usually will throw about five minutes of possible material for each track. "I'm such a picky bastard," he jokes. "I did do the math once on vacation and found that I spend anything from 60-120 hours on a song."

All of this concentrated time is really manifested in the album as you listen to it. With ten tracks filling forty-two-plus minutes with Awesome, Nordland is a very entertaining, and dance-inducing album! Overall, the album rocks incredibly hard, and will scoop you up in a tractor beam the likes I've rarely seen in electronic music.

1. aXXo
2. Tjære for Alltid
3. Forte Da Funk
4. Geeks
5. Underground
6. Penguin (Rachael's Theme)
7. Draugen
8. Elektroll
9. Røykmaskin
10. Nordland
[Hidden]

Støver says Nordland's theme is about growing up and how you view your aspirations and dreams while growing older. He relates it to his own experience, and how his perspective has changed as he matured. "I still feel the same way about a lot of things that I did, but I am more comfortable letting a lot of them go. Life's too short to get caught up in yourself," he says. "At the end of the day, if I can make somebody smile and dance, I have contributed to making this place better--even if I didn't abolish currency and state run religion."

The album opens with a very spacey, excellent-to-dance-to tune, aXXo. It really reminds me of Daft Punk's music for the upcoming Tron: Legacy movie. For most of my time reviewing the album, this was my top song to listen and chill out to.

Track two has a nice intro beat that gives way to a sort of whine that I related to those light up and shaking ghosts on Halloween, or possibly a theremin. The song is very bouncy and the last notes wind down like a lullaby, reminiscent to songs from the Zelda series.

Forte Da Funk is probably the most hype-full track on the album, starting with an 80s-esque slow-clap buildup. The fast, interchanging notes sound like Støver has learned to juggle music. Anytime I hear this song I just want to get up and start dancing, even in public!

Geeks is a very tantalizing song for me, because I don't know the lyrics! (Does anyone?) Other than that, I jump into the space-like texture of the song and enjoy it thoroughly. The end has a very symphonic feeling that I really, really want Støver to explore in upcoming works.

Mid-album, the tracks are completely interrupted by the awesome Underground track. (In a very good way). I've never been clubbing, but this song feels like a whole night of awesome dancing and partying all in one song (albeit the shortest on the album). I would love to see a music video for this one--in fact, there was one made!

Støver's wife, Rachael, gets a dedication through the song Penguin (Rachael's Theme). She probably really deserves it, moving to Norway and marrying him in the middle of his creation of Nordland. (I interviewed her when she moved out there, check it out). This song has a very arcing quality to it that sounds like a whole flock of penguins singing in the cold snow, which slowly fades into darkness.

Draugen essentially means ghost in Norwegian, and it fits perfectly with the song. It opens in a bleak-sounding atmosphere, like someone wandering a desert with their eye half-open. The Halloween-sound from Tjære for Alltid is revived as well.

In Elektroll, the war-machines from Robot Wars have returned, making this the third album they've appeared. (The other being at the end of Can't Stop Da Funk). This time, it sounds like they've added Dance-Hit to their armory. Look out, Earthling dancers!

Røykmaskin is almost like a coming of age song, about how Støver "realizes that I will forever fail living up to the ideals I set for myself." It is full of excellent drum and fast-paced rhythms. At some point I'm going to actually have to listen to the lyrics. It seems to have a bit of sampling from most of the rest of the album.

Nordland. A haunting track that stirs the mind to reflecting the lyric, Do you remember? The track is just awesome for chilling around, dancing to, and reflecting on your life with. The album fades out with a dancy tune that fades out, almost like an 8-bit heart monitor flatlining.

New to the hardcopy version is a "hidden track" after nine minutes of silence. I'm just gonna not spoil it and quote my Deadmau5-headed brother on this:

"It Just puts A great ole Smile Up On Your face =]"

This album is "easily the one I'm the most satisfied with," says Støver. "That's not to say there isn't a ton of improvements I would like to do, but 'art is never finished, only abandoned'."

Nordland will be available for free on the website (and many others), as well as on iTunes (for $$). The hard-copy will be available for order, but be patient: It's a new system, which is bound to have delays and its own kinks. Just be glad the album is out, and enjoy it!


Also, if you'd like to see or help invade Binärpilot (in) the States, join this Facebook event.
You can donate $$ for the US show, and/or to a Nordland video.