Over the last decades Norway has become one of the more interesting countries when it comes to new experimental music. The music that has emerged is something that often combines seemingly disparate genres, marrying electronica with free improvisation and minimalism, often with hints of traditional folk melodies.

And in the same way that we feel we have a joyful responsibility to honor and pay homage to the composers, ensembles and musicians that have paved the way, we feel that we also have an obligation to showcase emerging contemporary artists. Therefore we are thrilled to have Rakel Nystabakk and Eirik Ask remixing Göteborgs Symfoniker and the trio Anja Lauvdal, Heida Karine Johannesdottir and Signe Emmeluth as part of this year’s festival!

Right after Göteborgs Symfoniker has performed Bartóks Music for strings percussion and celesta on September 28th, Norwegian sound artists Rakel Nystabakk and Eirik Ask will do a live remix of this amazing piece. They will work with samples from the piece and draw inspiration from the orchestra’s performance, in order to improvise a new interpretation of the original work.

The Norwegian duo of Anja Lauvdal and Heida Mobeck, previously working under the moniker Skrap, have during the past few years made their mark as a backing band for eccentric indie pop goddess Jenny Hval. Anja and Heida Karine are in constant flux, blending jazz, hip-hop beats, improvisation and electronica. For the concert at Nefertiti on October 4th, the duo is reinforced by Danish saxophone wonder Signe Emmeluth.