runarcn.no

Writing this page might've been the hardest part of creating runarcn.no. It's really hard, if not impossible, to create a list of the music I both have held, and do hold closest to my heart. When I first sat down, I quickly reached 100 albums which is simply just far too many. However, I have, after spending way too much time thinking, managed to create a list 10 of my favorite albums throughout the years. These are (probably) my 10 favorite albums throughout the years, sorted alphabetically.

Chico Buarque - Chico Buarque

Chico Buarque might be the catalyst for my love of Brazilian music. It's hard to describe my first encounter with Apesar de Você, and even harder to describe how it was to first learn about the songs story and lyrics. When I later on decided to check out the rest of the record, I actually struggled to make it past Feijoada Completa, since the song was just so damn good. Other classics like Cálice and O Meu Amor continue to haunt my head on a weekly, if not daily basis. It's very rare that I go a full week without listening to this record once or twice.

EDEN - End Credits

EDEN is the first artist I can recall actively listening to - and by that I mean willingly looking up after I had gained a conscience and became aware of myself. In reality, I began listening to EDEN well before this as well. I think my first time hearing the music off of Bipolar Paradise was when I was still in fifth or sixth grade. Like much music I listened to at that age, I didn't think much of it. A few years later when I was in my early teens however, EDEN (and The Eden Project) quickly evolved into what I listened to the most.

I'm honestly not sure which album/EP I like the most of the ones before no future, but there's little doubt in my head that End Credits is the one that has influenced me the most. I really dig how there are no gaps between any of the songs in the EP and how smoothly they transition in and out from eachother. This was also one of the very early catalysts of my enjoyment of the "indie" sound and the "indie" style that's so hard to properly describe (outside of stratocaster with roundwounds, chorus, and reverb).

Sadly, I've never really gotten into the stuff that followed no future, as especially not to the same degree as everything before it.

Oh, and 909 might be the first song that I developed a (conscious) fangirl-y relationship to.

Joni Mitchell - Blue

There are very few musicians who will make a "favorite albums"-list that doesn't include Blue.

Blue is sort of my holy grail. The greatest skill you can accomplish as a musician is to say more with less, and here, Joni says it all. No matter how simple the melody may be, no matter how simple the harmonies, no matter how simple the guitar parts, Joni is able to say more here than I have ever been and maybe ever will be. The feeling I get in my chest whenever I hear A Case of You is one that only that specific song has been able to create, and it manages to do so perfectly every single time I hear it.

Whenever I get absolutely fucking done with music and want to burn all my instruments, there is only one cure and it never fails to work. And that cure is called Blue.

Joyce - Feminina

I have few things I deeply regret in my life. One of them however, is that I didn't go see Joyce live when I had the chance in Rio. I was tired, didn't have the faintest clue who she was, and really needed a day (and night) off after a many nights in a row at samba clubs, and said "I'll have to pass on this one, maybe next time!" when I got asked if I wanted to join. Biggest mistake I've ever made. Since that day, I haven't said no to go to a concert once - just in case.

Feminina is marvelous. There's no other way to describe it. It's hard to sit still when Feminina and Banana are playing, and Clareana has had me considering putting down the bass to learn guitar instead. The record balances so well between MPB, samba, and jazz. In many ways, Feminina to me embodies what I think Joni would have made if she was Brazilian.

King Crimson - In The Court of the Crimson King

Before I got into jazz I got into prog. And this is the prog that I got into. Yes there was many other bands and musicians, Rush being another very noteable one, but there is nothing that hit me as hard as In The Court of the Crimson King. Very much helped out by a huge amount of "what the FUCK is going on" and some really great bass playing by Greg Lake, this record has burned itself into my memory and will stay there forever. I even learnt the entire bass line of 21st Century Schizoid Man when I was 15, exclusively off of tabs! I didn't even know that "to improvise" or "playing over chords" was a thing back then. One day, I must have a band that plays this kind of music...

Led Zeppelin - II

Before I got into prog, I got into rock. Funnily enough I also got into checks notes death metal before that? Yeah weird pipeline. I'm not really sure when or how I managed to get hooked on Led Zeppelin. I do however know that when I was digging through my dads record collection as a young teenager, I found out that we had a record called Led Zeppelin II and I was sold. It's hard, if not impossible, to pick a favorite record (especially of I-IV), so I won't. But II was definitely the big catalyst.

Radka Toneff & Steve Dobrogosz - Fairytales

As of writing this, I have four holy records. The first two are Blue and Feminina. This is the third one.

Fairytales is a special record, and a strong contender for the best album cover ever. It's also been ranked as the number 1 Norwegian album of all time, regardless of genre1, and for good reason. I cannot overstate my gratitude for the producers Arild and Tom work with capturing the music in the way that they did. I feel as though I can experience every single detail here almost better than what you can do live. In classic Radka-style, this album encompasses both jazz standards, original compositions, and simply covers of whatever it is that Radka wants to sing.

Seriously. Listen to it. It's fantastic how well these two musician play together.

Sofia Ribeiro & Andres Rotmistovsky - Lilás

Andres Rotmistrovsky is truly a master of the modern electric bass, and when paired with the vocals of Sofia there are few limits to what can be accomplished. I first came across Andres via his YouTube videos (as everyone else) and when I found out he also had records, I was sold. And as an added bonus: Sofia sings in Portuguese, perhaps the most beautiful language that exists out there. Not Brazilian Portuguese (sadly), but Portuguese nonetheless.

Tuva Halse Quintet - Two

The first record I bought off of Bandcamp! This record if the first one that I have ever transcribed something off of, and is still the one I keep returning to whenever I am looking for new ideas how to approach harmony on the electric bass - there's not exactly a lack of phrases and language that I've picked up here. Alongside the next record on this list, I first came over this during the period when I first decided that I want to pursue an education in music. I've typically described Adam as my "favorite song, probably ever" and while I'm not 100% sure if I'd still say that today, I'm definitely 100% sure that wouldn't not say that today.... if that makes any sense.

Veslemøy Narvesen - We Don't Imagine Anymore

The fourth and final holy record. We Don't Imagine Anymore is the reason I'm writing this page today. It's the record that not only pushed me over the edge to pursue an education in music, but also the record that made me put on my shoes, tie my laces, and go for the hike that made me realize this edge ever existed. And it did so within the span of just a few weeks.

I rarely think of an album as a 6/ I We Don't Imagine Anymore is the reason I'm writing this page today. It's the record that not only pushed me over the edge to pursue an education in music, but also the record that made me put on my shoes, mtie my laces, and go for the hike that made me realieze ze this edge ever sexisted. And it did so within the span of just a wfew ewweeks.

I rarely think of an album as a 6/6. Hell, even on just this list there are albums which I'm doubtful of if I'd rate 6/6. But for this one, there is simply just no doubt. I don't think any single record has impacted my style of writing, of playing, and of arranging as much as this one.

Honorable mentions - some of the outtakes

  1. as in "made by Norwegian musicians". See https://arkiv.nrk.no/lydverket/tidenes-beste-norske-album/ (NO)↩