Paal Nilssen-Love Circus - Pairs Of Three [PNL Records 053]

Put out on the Avantgarde x FreeJazz x Free Improv circuit via the artist run label PNL Records on November 4th, 2k22 is "Pairs Of Three", the first ever full length album effort by the Paal Nilssen-Love led multi artist collective that is the Paal Nilssen-Love Circus. With contributing artists like Kalle Moberg, Christian Meaas Svendsen and Signe Emmeluth amongst others, all of them well established names in the Norwegian x Scandinavian scene and well beyond, the album was recorded over the astounding course of a four days period in the summer of 2021 and sees the Paal Nilssen-Love Circus setting out to explore an Avantgarde x Improv x FreeJazz infused take on Brazilian and South American music over the course of roughly an hour divided into seven cuts, driven by partially subdued Samba drums, oftentimes layered with improvisations evoking memories of New Orleans-infused Voodoo Jazz as well as extended, somewhat Psychedelic Rock- and AfroBeat-informed electric guitar solos ("Bota Fago"), with Juliana Venter providing intense, yet also cut up, dada'esque lyric fragments and Spoken Words in German as well as in English (...and probably Italian?) on cuts like the albums title track "Pairs Of Three" which evolves into full-on madness and hysteria further down the line whereas cuts like "Round About Lapa" bring forth a stripped down, atmospheric take on DarkJazz whilst the foundation of the concluding "Hummingbird" is rooted surprisingly deep in brooding and nocturnal Ambient x DarkAmbient minimalisms, providing a base and backdrop for Juliana Venter's highest, and probably classically trained, register which makes this specific cut a worthwhile listening experience for lovers of Ambient and Opera alike and might even resonate with fans and followers of enchanted Instrumental Folk for a reason. A deep and unexpected closing for an otherwise well intense Avantgarde album.

Album artwork on Instagram!