Kim Myhr & Kitchen Orchestra - Hereafter [Sofa Music]

Released via the Norwegian Sofa Music imprint on February 23, 2k24 is "Hereafter", the latest collaboration effort by composer x artist Kim Myhr and the Stavanger-based Kitchen Orchestra. With two extended pieces, both split up in several sub-sets and written with the ensemble in mind at the height of the pandemic period in 2k20, the 47 minutes spanning body of work provides an astoundingly hopeful attitude despite the dark and grave circumstances its compositional foundation was conceived in, revealing a silver lining of hope at the horizon with shimmering, yet slightly washed out atmospheres, peaceful pads and lively, yet subdued microrhythms, plucked, somewhat twangy guitar tones and subtle additional, slow morphing electronic textures all falling together in a quite intimate and close-up recorded manner, culminating in a peak of highly compressed and carefully processed Avantgarde Jazz revealing minor PostRock-influences as well before turning into an array of shimmering, cascading and scintillating synth tones whereas the second piece opens on a quite majestic, almost Contemporary Classical-infused tip accompanied by crystalline cosmic retrofuturisms, klaxon'esque signals of a slightly off kilter nature, more PostRock-leaning rhythm signatures, (neo)krautsy meanderings and almost psychedelia drenched electric guitar workouts and therefore, for us at least, turns out to be the more fascinating half of this long-form composition even though this album might require several session to reveal all of its layers.

Album artwork on Instagram!