Kaukasus – I (Autumnsongs Records AR011CD, 2014)
Kaukasus was a progressive rock supergroup that appeared in 2014. It brought together two talented Norwegian musicians, Ketil Vestrum Einarsen (Jaga Jazzist, Motorpsycho) and Rhys Marsh (The Autumn Ghost, Opium Cartel), together with acclaimed Swedish multi-instrumentalist Mattias Olsson (Änglagård, White Willow). The group released their superb debut album on May 5, 2014.
As you would expect, “I” has deep Nordic progressive rock flavor with a dark edge, featuring fantastic Mellotron atmospheres, creative drums, dreamy flutes and delightful guitar, vocal and synth melodies. However, the three musicians took the music farther, injecting mesmerizing electronic music elements as well as exotic world music influences.
Kaukasus was a long distance project, as the three musicians were based in different parts of Scandinavia.
Einarsen said about the experience: “I haven’t had this much fun in years. I loved working with Mattias and Rhys, and playing with them just felt right. I found myself sending them my stuff, only to get back something very unexpected, unpredictable, and wonderful.”
Olsson reaffirmed this feeling: “When it comes to long distance recordings, it’s always a matter of trust. With Kaukasus I think we have found a great balance between form and chaos.”
Marsh added, “In many respects, this is the album that I’ve always wanted to make. It was fast and impulsive, and has an energy that could not have been contrived. I was constantly surprised by the parts that Ketil and Mattias would send me”.
The lyrics were developed to reflect the dark atmosphere of the album. Rhys Marsh explained: “The music took such a dark turn that the lyrics had to reflect that, so I took them into a dystopian world, coming up with a story which begins with the end of the world, which fueled even further the urgency of the music.”
Lineup: Ketil Vestrum Einarsen on alto & soprano flutes, tenor horn, treated flute, hulusi, electric piano, saxxy, spektrals, EWI synthesizer; Rhys Marsh on vocals, electric guitar, acoustic piano, bass guitar, Fender Rhodes, Mellotron, drum machine, pedal steel guitar; and Mattias Olsson on drums, percussion, Mellotron, Orchestron, Optigan, Moog Taurus, VCS3 & Mother modular system, baritone guitar, and bass marimba.