Projecto

Origami Arktika's Kai Mikalsen is behind this project. Not a real group per se, Kobi is a small-ensemble platform that allows Mikalsen to play with one or two guests on each track — so it is a solo/collective hybrid. His experimental ambient electronics provide the backbone for Projecto. Joining him one or two at a time are members of Origami Arktika, Origami Republika, Slowburn, and Jazzkammer, among others. They represent an important chunk of the Norwegian experimental music scene of the early 2000s, all powerful idiosyncratic artists, and yet Mikalsen's presence remains the strongest. It even gets overwhelming at times. Tore Bøe and Jazzkammer's John Hegre make significant contributions, reorienting the music for a while, but the presence of Alexander Rishaug, Petter Pogo, or even Fredrik Ness Sevendal goes almost unnoticed. That said, Projecto makes a very fine album, especially when listened to on headphones, since special care has been put on stereo spatialization. The music often remains non-intrusive, inviting you to immerse yourself in it rather than imposing itself. If you don't pay attention, the music will turn into an indistinguishable ambient backdrop. With a bit of effort you will find many interesting features to study and some illuminating moments, too. But in the end, Projecto remains a rather cold artifact, however beautiful and cleverly conceived it may be. ~ François Couture, Rovi