Schtimm

August 2003: We are in a small open boat in a North-Norwegian fjord, trying to keep our equipment dry and get home sound and safe. We are hoping that the waves won’t get any bigger and that the rain will stop pouring down. That was the end of the first chapter of our latest album “featuring…”

November 2005: We have spent 4 days in a rebuilt barn without windows, in a medium sized Norwegian town, and are effortlessly placing our equipment in K’s van, while smoking filter cigarettes and sipping Bulgarian Red wine. The weather is totally ok, and we have a short ride home. That was the start of the process which lead to our new effort Time, Space and other stories.

Different times, different places and different stories. But at the same time: The process of making an album doesn’t actually change very much from time to time. Some idea, some concept or mood comes from out of somewhere and starts to grow. And one day a new album is born. It might sound like it has become a boring old routine for us, but we can assure you it’s not. It’s still an odd combination between sleepwalking, falling in love, getting your heart broken, watching Bjørn Einar Romøren jump 260 metres in Planica, and being drunk. Mixed but strong emotions.

Those who have followed Schtimm some time, know that we have a little hang up on genres. Not as contents, but as form. We have done our compilation album, our cover album, our summer EP and our featuring album. So what’s the story this time? That’s something you have to find out for yourself, because now that the album is here, your opinion and conception of it is just as good and valid as ours. But to throw a little bone into the air: This album is what we probably will refer to as our “short story album”. And as the title indicates: Time and Space, with their many diverse meanings, are relatively important aspects here. But what about the musical sides of the album? Are we still wandering around in our Alkojazz / Dunkelpop / North-Norwegiana landscape, or have we started to move into new territories? We are probably not the ones to answer such a question, so our vague reply will be somewhere between a low voiced maybe and a whispering we don’t know.

As far as the technical aspects: The album has been recorded in 3 different studios and one house (luckily, with a wiev to the sea). For the first time we have been working with two co-producers. HAM has always been with us and still is, but we have also chosen to work with Trosk. This man has been touring with us for years, and we consider him part of the family. To use an old North-Norwegian saying: It’s better with two sacks of gold than just one. And speaking of gold: Mr Berg did string, brass and woodwind–arrangements on wryeries and From the times of Neverletgo, and if you really enjoy good music, check out: www.symbiophonic.as

Other human highlights we have had the pleasure of working with: Szouszika (violin) Kristin (cello), Turid (obo) Thomas (mastering), Kjell (aestethics), Aage (photo) and Renate, Hilde, Vidar, Siv and Yngve (all brass).

Thank you for your time,
All the best,
Schtimm