Hvalfugl: Bag Vore Øjne Strømmer Drømme Sagte Forbi

An impossible creature flies across the sky; a whale-bird. It has the heaviness and mythic stature of a whale and the lightness of a bird in slow flight. It is both grounded and free. This creature does not exist and yet it does exist in music. Since 2016, the Danish trio, Hvalfugl (Whale-bird), has created its distinct brand of ambient jazz. The album with the elaborate title, Bag Vore Øjne Strømmer Drømme Sagte Forbi (Behind Our Eyes Dreams Flow Quietly), is the culmination of its musical journey so far.

Hvalfugl is the kind of band that not only creates songs and compositions, but a universe for every album. This album is special because it combines music from four different EPs with their own signature sound. There is the core of the trio with the ethereal guitar playing of Jeppe Lavsen, the earthy tones of Anders Juul Bomholt, and the crystalline piano playing of Jonathan Fjord Bredholt. This sound warrants deep immersion and gets to the heart of the trio's dreamy and melodic sphere where time is suspended in melodic circles. An example is "Et Bånd" (A Bond) that starts with acoustic piano and bass only to invite the guitar gradually, whereas "Tiden" (Time) begins with guitar and bass whose melodic lines introduce the piece before the piano enters. These subtle shifts in dynamics and texture define Hvalfugl's music. However, their ambition is not only to explore and enhance their own universe but to invite musicians to contribute to their sound.

Sometimes, these contributions are as subtle as the internal shifts in the trio, as when brass and wind instruments add a layer at the end of the piece "Små Sløjfer" (Little Bows). Elsewhere, the contribution from drummer Lasse Jacobsen gives a whole new feel to a track like "Mønstre I Verden." The addition of a percussive element, although played in the impressionistic style of Paul Motian, adds a sense of urgency to the music, but fortunately, it does not disturb the premise of the trio's aesthetic, which is to let melodies unfold slowly and explore the poetic element of time itself.

It is also about ambience, mood, and a certain type of nostalgic, dreamy longing with a melancholy tone. The trio's music has a cinematic quality that could complement a lyrical movie or documentary. The cinematic element of the music is underlined by the addition of the string ensemble Who Killed Bambi, which widens the scope of tracks like "Bølgerne I Dit Liv" (The Waves in Your Life) and "Svævende Lys" (Hovering Light).

With four sides of vinyl and an hour and twenty-one minutes of music, the album achieves an epic scope, and it comes in packaging that matches the high ambitions with an obi-strip and gatefold sleeve with art and a comprehensive full-size booklet that includes notes in English and photographs. However, the most important thing about the vinyl format is that it allows the listener to experience the music in carefully constructed units, one side of vinyl at a time, just like the original EPs, but now in a new order.

Not all music from the EPs is included. For instance, two tracks mentioned in the booklet are not part of this release but can be found on the original EPs. This does not detract from the overall impression that Bag Vore Øjne Strømmer Drømme Sagte Forbi is an awe-inspiring album that connoisseurs of ECM, guitarist Jakob Bro, and the Danish ambient jazz duo Bremer/McCoy will appreciate. Simply put, it is safe to say that this will be one of the best Danish jazz releases of 2025.

Comments