Soft Ffog – Soft Ffog (Is it Jazz?, 2022)
New Norwegian band Soft Ffog is set to release its self-titled debut album, Soft Ffog in May 2022. The band plays engaging jam-style instrumental music with extended solos where they weave in influences, and even familiar melodies, from King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Jimi Hendrix and other artists.
Soft Ffog was originally formed by several musicians from the Norwegian contemporary jazz scene for a one-off gig commissioned by the Kongsberg Jazzfestival in 2016. Although the response was very positive, the band did not get the impulse it needed to be a proper working band. Additionally, band members had commitments with their own bands and other projects so Soft Ffog played very few gigs.
By 2020, bandleader Tom Hasslan decided to reignite the project and record Soft Ffog’s first album with all Hasslan compositions.
The album was recorded at Studio Paradiso with Christian Engfelt as engineer and producer.
The band describes its music this way: “Ever wondered what it would sound like if Jimi Hendrix joined Deep Purple pursuing to sound like Gentle Giant, and then failing miserably because of too much jazz consumption lately? Didn’t think so, but anyhow Soft Ffog´s sound is unique, and draws parallels to the aforementioned acts in somewhat style, compositions and aesthetic, but is more rooted in jazz with their prolonged solos and improvisations.“
The lineup includes Tom Hasslan (Krokofant) on guitar; Axel Skalstad (Krokofant) on drums; Trond Frønes (Red Kite, Grand General) on bass; and Vegard Lien Bjerkan (WIZRD) on keyboards.
Get the album from softffog.bandcamp.com