Ping – Songs from the Nebula (Apollon Records Prog, 2025)
Ping have been tinkering with Norwegian experimental rock since the last millennium. Songs from the Nebula opens like a hatch unsealing, air hissing out, gravity giving up, then pulls you into a corridor of progressive rock that’s equal parts precision engineering and prankster impulse.
Melodies flicker like friendly beacons, then tilt into dissonance, as if the compass has decided north is a rumor. One moment you’re riding a classic late-60s/early-70s prog-rock vein, the next you’re spun sideways into psychedelic daydreams, amusing quirkiness and modern electronics. If Frank Zappa’s spirit could be launched into orbit and King Gizzard’s restless engine could power the ship, you’d get something close to Ping’s vibe here: playful, brainy, and always ready to yank the floor panel just to see what floats.
Songs from the Nebula is a concept album about the outer reaches, the emptiness, and the hope of space-time companions to be found. You’ll hear allegations of accelerating time; that black matter exists; a maiden voyage ship-wreck in the multiverse; bad boy recycling a funeral cake; and Calisto’s lament at always being number two.
Musicians: Jørgen Greiner: Vocals, bass, guitar, synth, drum machine; Mattis Janitz: Guitar, banjo, ukulele, flute, bass, backing vocals, synth, drum machine, midi stuff; Tore Hofstad: Synth, accordion, guitar, mandolin, backing vocals; Mats Monstad: Drums, percussion, backing vocals, groaning; Bjørn Arne Johansen: Guitar, backing vocals, mandolin, bass; Roald Madland: Synth, guitar, backing vocals.
Additional musicians: Bendik Bjørnstad Foss: Viola on 7, 9, 10, 11; Tiril Dørum Bengtsson: Cello on 7, 9, 10; Embrik Snerte: Bassoon on 7, 9, 10; Sverre Riise: Trombone on 7, 9, 10; Kristoffer Berre Alberts: Saxophone on 1, 8; Kim Alexander Eriksen: Trumpet on 1, 5, 11; Mikkel Ødegård Janitz: Vocal on 11
Mixing: Ryan McPhun (The Ruby Suns)
Mastering: Morten Lund