Nils Petter Molvaer - Stiches

Nils Petter Molvær is one of the most prominent representatives of an electro-acoustic jazz hybrid that has grown into a genre of its own since the 1990s. Within this field, which is sometimes also referred to as "future jazz" or "nu jazz", the Norwegian composer is both a pioneer and a veteran, as he was one of the first jazz musicians to incorporate the emerging digital and electronic tendencies into his work around the year 2000. With his significant sound, which brings together melancholic trumpet sounds with dynamic electronic soundscapes, Molvær has achieved heavyweight status in paving a way forward for the genre into a new age - while remaining connected to his jazz past. His latest release, Stitches, is in no way inferior. Through his fearlessness in exploring new sounds and emotions, Molvær shows once again that jazz not only has a future, but one that is both bright and exciting.
In addition to being a trumpeter and composer, Molvær is also a proven bandleader with a knack for selecting the best musicians for his various musical teams, providing them with just the right mix of firm structure and flexibility that is beneficial to the abilities of each individual as well as the project as a whole.
For Stitches, the trumpeter collaborated with drummer Erland Dahlen, bassist Jo Berger Myhre and guitarist Johan Lindstrøm, initially in person at Ocean Sound Recordings on the island of Giske, while conversations and musical exchanges later continued online after the outbreak of the pandemic. Despite the sudden shift in the way they interacted, the material for Stitches suffered no damage, spontaneity and fluidity remained at the heart of the compositions - as did the musical familiarity and synergy of the four musicians. Finally, "Stitches" was assembled and mixed by Jon Marius Aareskjold and Molvær himself at Kysten Studio in Tromsø.
Dahlen, Myhre and Lindstrøm enjoyed full artistic freedom on Molvær's part when it came to giving the tracks their special and unique touch. The result is a breathtaking journey that spans different moods and inspires reflection, meditation and profound insights. From the tender and poetic Median to the dramatic A Sudden Rast and the three extremely powerful pieces from Frameworks (Molvær's commission for the Kongsberg Jazz Festival) - the album showcases the trumpeter's clear musical line, constantly adding innovation while preserving the fragility of the trumpet at the heart of every movement. It is precisely this fine balance between pure tenderness and avant-garde sensibility that has made Molvær's sound famous and appreciated by listeners worldwide. Despite its darker moments, where the tracks reference chaos and suffering, Stitches comes across as a redemptive experience, a necessary experience that equips both listener and composer with a sense of cleansing and regeneration. The album closes with a heartwarming version of Radiohead's True Love Waits that feels both hopeful and prophetic: after the turbulent times, the wounds will heal.