Following on from an excellent EP by Femanyst, the producer formerly known as Lady Blacktronica, released earlier this month, Paula Temple’s Noise Manifesto label has now lined up a new release from Danish producer and sound artist SØS Gunver Ryberg.
Entitled SOLFALD, the EP is made up of six tracks which see the producer veer from moments of beatless serenity to rapid-fire, scattershot drums that take no mercy. Above, you can hear one of the EP’s calmer moments in the form of opening track ‘Kredsløb’. It’s a two minute piece centred around glitchy, ominous synths that wouldn’t sound out of place in a sci-fi soundtrack.
The EP marks SØS Gunver Ryberg’s second appearance on Paula Temple’s label having contributed in the past to the Decon/Recon series which saw various producers anonymously contribute tracks in an attempt, as Ryberg puts it below, "to put affinity ahead of hierarchy and ego attachment".
Below, she explains the meaning behind the EP’s title, her connection to Noise Manifesto and the relationship between her live and studio output. SOLFALD is out on June 29.
Some of the EP’s tracks have evolved from live performances. Do you often rework live material for the studio?
SØS Gunver Ryberg: A lot of the material I play live is new sounds in development. I like to get a feel for them in different settings. How does it sound amplified on a big system? How does it feel to perform it? Some things I only keep live and will not release. When I decide to finish something in the studio, I might rework it but maybe not. I like to keep the raw state that it has from my concerts. Other times I compose it more.
You previously appeared on a Noise Manifesto split release. How did your connection with the label and with Paula Temple come about?
SGR: As I remember Paula was introduced to my music through a friend of hers. I think she saw some videos from my Atonal concert. She connected with what I was doing and we got in contact. Then we happened to have a booking for the same line-up and that’s how we met. Later Paula asked me to be part of Decon/Recon #2 which is an amazing concept aiming to put affinity ahead of hierarchy and ego attachment.
Where did the EP’s title come from?
SGR: SOLFALD is a rare and unused Danish word. I didn’t know of it. When I discovered it I fell for it immediately. It’s a very poetic and strong word and if you translate it directly it consistS of two words which mean ‘SUN FALL’. The real meaning of it is ‘the time where the sun disappears under the horizon’.
Are you working on any special installations or works right now?
SGR: I have just done an immersive quadrophonic installation with the title ‘WHITE SUN’. Inspired by the Japanese performance genre Butoh; an anti-theatre form where the human transforms into the unrecognisable. Next project coming up is in Copenhagen where I’m part of a performance on Egon Schiele and the time around his life. It’s with a very experimental collective of other artists where we all work equally and with hardcore dogmas.
