Lars Horntveth - Pooka (2004)

As the musical leader of Norwegian ten-piece outfit Jaga Jazzist, Lars Horntveth had, for the last ten years, crafted a truly unique and innovative body of work. Following last year’s The Stix album, the collective’s first for Ninja Tune, and the consecutive extensive tour, Lars Horntveth took some time off to work on his first solo project, now released on the ever excellent Smalltown Supersound.

Hailing from Tonsberg, in the suburbs of Oslo, Lars Horntveth formed Jaga Jazzist in 1994, when he was just fourteen. The band released their first album, Jævla Jazzist Grete Stitz in 1996, followed by the Magazine EP, produced by the ubiquitous Helge Sten, aka Deathprod, a couple of years later. Their next album, A Livingroom Hush, was released in 2001 through Warners and received considerable praised in Scandinavia, resulting in the band signing to Oslo-based Smalltown Supersound and having their album distributed worldwide. Since, the band has gained a lot of recognition, culminating with Ninja Tune signing them and releasing their last album to date.

Although Pooka bears some resemblance with Jaga Jazzist, it is also a far more personal piece of work. This album was recorded entirely with real instruments, with the exception of programmed beats. While Horntveth played most of the instruments himself, he got a nine-piece string ensemble on board to supply some extra textures. This results in Pooka being a beautifully human collection of subtle instrumentals, with incredible nuances and emotional touches. The album opens with an intricate piano and plucked strings combination over which a gentle melody, played on the clarinet, gently develops until a voluptuous layer of strings comes swirling around it. This sets the tone for the rest of the album. While the recent single, The Joker, demonstrates Horntveth’s great ability to develop superb orchestrations and melodies, it is the stunning and clever Tics and News On The March that provide the most haunting moments here. While the former develops the concept of the title track further and on a more ambitious scale as Horntveth flirts with classical music, the latter is a more restrained affair, at least in its first section. Here again, the strings slowly build up over percussions and noises to provide a superb backdrop to Horntveth’s main contribution. On 1. Lesson In Violin, he injects some oriental flavours into a complex layering of sound, while on Pooka Soundtrack, which closes the album, Horntveth shows a more delicate side of his talent.

If Lars Horntveth’s mark on Jaga Jazzist is undeniable, Pooka reveals how the man has shaped the sound of his collective and encourage them to follow him. This solo album bears some trademark Horntveth moments, but also shows a slightly different side to his talent. A visceral musician, it is only a matter of time before he becomes truly recognised for his work.

Lars Horntveth Bb clarinet, bass clarinet, soprano and tenor saxophones, acoustic and electric guitars, bass guitar, piano, keyboards, violin
Mathias Eick double bass
Seiki Ueno violin
Rebecca Cherry violin
Siv Grønlie violin
Annette Myking violin
Hans Gunnar Hagen viola
Michiel Westhof viola
Siri Hilmen cello
Bodil Erdal cello
Jørgen Træen electronics, Korgs MS-20

Track List:
1. Pooka
2. The Joker
3. Mars Bar (Call for Gary!)
4. Tics
5. Kahlua Blues
6. News on the March
7. 1. Lesson in Violin
8. Pooka Soundtrack


All thanks go to the ivoronen

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