CD review: HÜM – Don´t Take It so Personally 2022: Video, CD cover

Hüm invites the listener into a world where the European jazz tradition meets contemporary music.

In the trio’s musical expression, the Nordic jazz aesthetics collides with classically inspired textures, sometimes written in odd meters.

The band’s philosophy is based on an equal presence of instruments in interplay and a compositional way of thinking that originates from chamber music.

Having done numerous (sometimes over-organized) recording sessions with mostly originally composed and repertoire I now felt the need for a lusher approach.

In this debut album, Hüm strives to explore the possibilities of fitting improvisation into composition in the way that blurs the distinction between improvised and through-composed music.

Yet, the music is based on carefully elaborated structural elements. By creating the frames with distinct rhythmic, melodic and harmonic devices, through-composed sections are surrounded by improvised parts characterized by interactive listening and open sonic landscapes.

The process of composing this music is directly tailored to each members personal expression and playing style. The concept is to create the improvised music based on different musical vocabulary and divergent musical backgrounds of the trio members.

Without exception, all musicians are given a full-fledged opportunity for self-expression, so that excellent solo parts of all instruments are present. But the main characters are still exactly those that are indicated on the cover of the disc.

Hope you enjoy!

1. Dream Beliefs (03:10)
2. Kringsjå blå (06:48)
3. Don’t take it so personally (06:07)
4. After hours (06:08)
5. Sedmaya (08:29)
6. Day dreamer (06:54)
7. Peculiar being (08:30)
8. Arctic ice (04:40)
9. Cvekje cafnalo (09:08)

Bojan Marjanovic, piano
Bjørnar Kaldefoss Tveite, double bass
Magnus Sefaniassen Eide, drums