snobb Norwegian trumpeter Nils Petter Molvaer is often mentioned as one of the pioneers of European and worldwide nu jazz. His solo debut, "Khmer", changed the European scene radically in 1997 by combining Jon Hassel’s "fourth world" music, Jan Garbarek's Nordic ambient jazz and drum & bass. During the next two and half decades Molvaer tried to combine his aerial trumpet sound with house and rock, all with only limited success. Like his compatriot and fellow nu jazz cornerstone figure, pianist Bugge Wesseltoft, (who in 2011 released an original and successful duo album with German techno producer and computer guru Henrik Schwarz), Molvaer, in 2013 tries a similar duo formula with another German techno cult figure, multi-instrumentalist and producer Moritz von Oswald.

Moritz, who was born and lives in Berlin, is one of the early key figures in minimalist techno. On "1/1" he builds a dark pulse-beat based dub/techno atmosphere, filled with similar minimalist Molvaer's trumpet soloing. Different from the Wesseltoft/ Schwarz album, which was more danceable, full of rhythms and more optimistic atmosphere, "1/1" is of the Berlin electronics school. At its best moments, this music stays close to Molvaer's "Khmer", unfortunately some compositions sound way too long since nothing happens for long minutes and it looks like both artists are not sure where they are going. Still, an interesting album, some fresh breath for Molvaer.

snobb "Edy" soundtrack is Nils Petter Molvaer's seventh album and in some sense it's a standalone work.Widely known by his aerial atmospheric soundscapes full of Nordic ethos and (especially on later albums)electronic rhythms, on "Edy" Molvaer sounds different.

From very first sounds nervous atmosphere and tension flows around you. I haven's seen the movie, but from soundtrack it doesn't look like "National Geographic" series (and to be honest some Molvaer's albums sound as good soundtrack to "Traveller Guide").Musicians team contains more or less regular Nils collaborators including interesting guitarist Eivind Aarset.But music all album long differs from his other works - there are not many traces of relaxed airy atmosphere,so characteristic for Nordic nu jazz. In fact - not at all.

All music here are full of blood and flesh and nerves. It's not a flamenco-based passionable soundtrack to Spanish movie for sure, but Molvaer's music never before sounded so full-bodied,even heavyweight in moments. All compositions are different and change one another by some internal logic,this album is one of rare (for soundtrack albums) cases when you don't need to see video-line to enjoy the music. Film director Guérin-Tillié said "The three main pillars of 'Edy' are the two main actors and NPM's music, which plays a central role in the motion picture."

I expect music on this album is seriously influenced by film requirements and it's different from what you hear on Molvaer's "regular" albums. Album closes with the only vocal song - Marion Cotillard sings "It Had To Be You", heavily orchestrated composition copying the style of Hollywood movies' songs from 50s-60s. It was just a movie ....

If you like nu jazz, Molvaer's music or want to hear great modern nu jazz movie soundtrack, try to find this album. Differently from other Molvaer's releases it was released in France and it looks it wasn't noticed outside of the country.

js Nils Petter Molvaer drew a lot of attention when he first hit the scene in the late 90s with his mix of soft tone trumpet melodies, ambient atmosphere, dubbing techniques and hip-hop/drumnbass beats. It was the right mix at the right time and he soon became one of the leaders in the new nu jazz movement. Over the years, many nu jazz bands began looking to ambient post rock for influence, but just recently, some nubies began heading for an even darker sort of gothic sludge rock for something new to try, and not necessarily with good results. Molvaer’s playing on “Baboon Moon” is still nice, but a lot of the music is heavy and predictable with dull unimaginative rock beats and riffs. Even some of the quiet ambient parts have lost their charm due to a slightly oppressive atmosphere. On some cuts, the screaming trumpet with heavy rock riffs almost works, but the overly low end digital sound drains most human life out of the results. Good rock does not sound this plastic. The extremely digital sound of this CD is unnatural and features those sort of sub-zero EQ settings favored by commercial movie soundtracks.

Despite the problems, there are some nice moments on here as well as some dark beauty, especially on the last few cuts, but overall I’m not sure if a lot of his old fans are going to dig this one. On the plus side, the photo on the CD cover is priceless and somehow seems to represent the music well. A quizical look at our own heart of darkness from the other side.

js Nils Petter Molvaer's debut is similar to other freshman efforts from his chosen nu jazz/acid jazz and post-punk/post-DJ jazz genre. Hampered by a lack of technology and resources, Molvaer is big on ascetics and ideas and manages to put together a very nice mellow psychedelic groove based jazz album without all the expensive toys it usually takes to make music like this. This is also far from your typical paint-by-numbers trip hop wallpaper muzak. Molvaer's melodies and solos are heartfelt and deep, channeling the mysterious passion of late 60s Miles without sounding like faux copies. North European nu jazz has often been described as a synthesis of Jon Hassell's 4th world experiments, Miles' ethereal productions and modern psychedelic trip-hop/acid jazz. If that is so, than those elements describe this album to a T. To that thumbnail description I would also add that Molvaer's European ascetic brings to this album an almost goth like somberness that sometimes drifts into post-punk industrial eeriness, a sound that may seem on the cold side for those who like the kinetic urban sound of acid jazz from the states and elsewhere.

On the negative side, this album's lack of resources and technology reveal themselves in the simplistic drum loops used throughout the album. Most of the loops used are edited at four beats and are used without any variations, breaks or effects. These short looped beats sound dated by today's standards and were probably already a little dated when this album came out in 1997. The overall sound of this album reminds me of early efforts by fellow psychedelic groove meisters Jah Wobble and Bill Laswell, they too were big on ideas but short on cash and technology at first.

On the plus side Molvaer's playing and arrangements are excellent as is the playing of the various psychedelic guitarists who contribute. This CD is highly recommended for fans of psychedelic nu jazz.