Anyone who has followed 1051 Magazine in its almost first year of life will have noticed some of our soft spots. And one of them, and a very marked one, is the immense love we have for the Nordic electronic scene, which has given us so much joy over the last three decades. Just a few days ago we had the great Sasse with us in an exclusive interview (talking about those early and exciting days in the Finnish scene), a little while ago we discovered a young promise called Third Attempt (which we are going to follow very closely…) and today we bring you another of the great legends of those latitudes.
In this case, we are going again to Norway, another great source of tremendous artists, and today it’s time to talk about the new work of one of the greatest from that country. Thomas Moen Hermansen, aka Prins Thomas, the Prince who has been astonishing and delighting us for decades with each new work he releases. DJ, producer, musician, founder of several record labels, a restless, multifaceted guy who amalgamates styles at will to produce works of the highest quality. At this point in the 21st century, there is no need for more introductions…
On March 25th he will release his new full-length album on one of his labels, Prins Thomas Musikk, which will be released on two vinyls and a CD and will be titled simply Prins Thomas 8 9. Let’s hear what the Norwegian producer himself says about his new release:
“At the start of 2021 I realized I hadn’t paid much attention to my own productions lately, rather spending time doing remixes or mixdowns for others or like many others, worrying over what the future will bring.
I started going through tracks and ideas I had started on but not completed and now as another annus horribilis nears the end I have 2 albums ready for 2022 release, entitled “8” and “9”.
Although I promised myself to never say it I personally think they’re my best work so far and I hope someone else will get the feeling of “a light at the end of the tunnel” when listening to these tracks just like I feel when listening back to them.
There are contributions from the very capable hands of Bugge Wesseltoft (“8”) and John Carroll Kirby (on both “8” and “9”), besides that it’s just me..”
You can say that calmly. Speaking in terms of sheer quality, these may be his two best works to date. Maturity, elegance, thoroughness, emotions, organic and analogue sounds and ambient density… a mind-blowing journey into the universe of Prins Thomas. For this, two luxury collaborators with very special characteristics have been sought, such as Bugge Wesseltoft and John Carroll Kirby. Wesseltoft is a renowned Norwegian jazz pianist, standard-bearer of the Nordic Nu Jazz scene, while Kirby is a Californian pianist, producer and composer, also with jazz roots, whose list of collaborations with big names in music is extensive.
The rest, only Prins Thomas. 8 begins with the subtle atmosphere of Kjaere Mamma that is broken with a rhythmic base to continue with those synthesised melodies so typical of the Norwegian producer. Salto Mortale is based on a subtle Funk guitar riff that adorns this piece of Cosmic Balearic and gives way to one of the jewels of this first release, Cool Coronas, the first of the collaborations with Kirby. Piano almost in the twilight that gives way to faint claps and a bass that marks the rhythm of the whole track, to then move on to the lively Sunroof Down, this time with the collaboration of Bugge Wesseltoft. Cala Llonga and Film 001 (Slapp Finale) close 8 with a very cosmic feel to the former and an intimate feel to the latter.
Evig Ung opens 9 with an almost epic feeling that opens the way to one of the most danceable tracks of the two works, Layback Rollout, with an infectious rhythmic base so typical of this kind of productions signed by Thomas. Earthbound is Kirby’s second collaboration on the albums, with a somewhat Brazilian feel, reminiscent of some of the work of the late, great Suba, with its typical percussion and dense, foggy atmosphere. Film 005 is a short interlude that precedes I Love U, with a more relaxed cadence, which in turn will serve as the perfect prologue to Take Over Fjorden, another artifact of the relaxed Cosmic House that Prins Thomas likes so much, which almost reaches ten minutes of epic interstellar voyage. The innocent joy of Film 006 closes 9 and all the new work of the legendary Norwegian producer.
Release date: March 25th, pre order available here
