Flukten: Flukten

A supergroup of the best sort—based on talent rather than streaming numbers—Flukten consists of four musicians from some of the most creative bands in Norway, a stylistically varied crowd including Hanna Paulsberg Concept, Atomic, Espen Berg Trio and Trondheim Jazz Orchestra. The group—tenor saxophonist Hanna Paulsberg, guitarist Marius Hirth Klovning, bassist Bárður Reinert Poulsen and drummer Hans Hulbækmo—debuted in 2021 with Velkommen Håp (Odin). The sound was, approximately, in the same bag as Britain's similarly constituted Partisans: jazz-rock played with a jazz sensibility rather than a rock one. At the time of writing, no YouTube from Flukten, the band's sophomore album, is available, but below you will find one from 2021.

There are times on the new album when Flukten touches on the intensity of Velkommen Håp, most particularly on the opening title track, which showcases Paulsberg in signature lyrical yet ferocious mode. But, four years on, the group has matured and the soundscape has widened to include the tender and intimate along with the fierce and confrontational. Klovning's at times borderline rockabilly guitar is also more prominent now, deservedly so.

This time, too, Flukten's approach to the tunes (most, as previously, written by Hulbækmo) is looser, less precisely arranged. "Monica frå Svolvær," one of three tracks recorded live in autumn 2023, is a fine example. Bookended by a quirky little melody not unlike something Ornette Coleman might have written, at its core is a tumbling, risk-taking drums and bass joust between Hulbækmo and Poulsen, followed by a twangtastic solo from Klovning, and then some tenor madness from Paulsberg. A winner.

Another much anticipated album from this circle of musicians is Hanna Paulsberg Concept's follow-up to Daughter Of The Sun (Odin, 2018). Gritty and culturally outwards-facing (hints of South African township jazz), that album featured guest trumpeter Magnus Broo, a key collaborator with Atomic. Hans Hulbækmo is a longstanding member of HPC, and the core quartet is completed by bassist Trygve Waldemar Fiske and pianist Oscar Grönberg. No news of anything yet, but on past form this album should also be a winner.