After a couple of years of extensive touring and establishing themselves as one of the most noteable acts in the Norwegian underground, KAROKH finally make their debut as recording artists with their self titled album Karokh. The result is an eclectic and extremely dynamic record consisting of eight tracks.

The album is set for release February 1st on Loyal Label, a Brooklyn based record company with a selective release policy. Recorded and mixed by Ulf Holand (Nils Petter Molvær, Motorpsycho), Greener Productions (Your Headlights Are On, Angelica’s Elegy) and Christoffer Brenna (Dråpe, Broen), Karokh features innovative orchestration and a unique sound – from sections of raging and erratic noise to parts of sheer minimalism and folkish melodies.

Karokh is an exploratory journey in sound and form – from the opening bars of the krautrock-ish ”Flowers Every Day” to the final haunting seconds of the spacey ballad and last track ”Into the Wild”, the band successfully evades the stereotypes of a specific genre while maintaining a clear and bold musical identity.

The band was formed in Oslo in 2010, and the members soon discovered their shared admiration for musicians that strive for unconventional solutions. While being a seven piece band is quite unconventional in itself, Karokh’s lineup includes two synth players and a trumpeter in addition to the vocals, bass, guitar and drums. Challenging the notion of what an experimental rock band can be, the band considers all of the instruments equal – the most striking result of this being that the vocals often are given more of an instrumental role than the typical lead singer role.

1. Flowers every day
2. Tjuder
3. Angry Crows
4. Surf Decadence (Ooh Ooh)
5. My Father Was a Fisherman
6. Once More No Bear
7. Karokh
8. Into The Wild

Ina Sagstuen - Vocals
Thomas Husmo Litleskare - Trumpet
Christian Skaar Winther - Electric guitar
Jonas Cambien - Rhodes, keys, effects
Jan K Hovland - Rhodes, keys, effects
Magnus Skavhaug Nergaard - Bass
Jan Martin Gismervik - Drums

All music by Karokh
Recorded by Ulf Holand, Christoffer Brænna and Karl Gøsta Klaseie

Cover Design By Espen Friberg (Yokoland)
Photography By Michelle Arcila

Press:

Kulturterrorismus.de (DE)
“Karokh is a truly eclectic work, in which many different styles and influences is processed into a great progressive rock album. Karokh experiment with song structures, instruments and voice and interesting rhythms. For the experimental and patient listener - a great musical joy."

JazzTokyo.com (JP)
“You have come to air springlike day is extended little by little Oslo. Sound solvable snow've to when walking down the road this season, but comfortable like a sound that flows through the river."

Search and Restore (US)
"This record strikes me as providing a fantastic, unpretentious fusion of the worlds of electronic experimentalism, improvisation and unabashed rock and is surely worth your time!"

AllAboutJazz.com
"Highly impressive debut from a band with a remarkable vocalist"

Sound of Music (SE)
"Om vi ska gå tillbaka till kollektivet igen så har Karokh presterat en explosiv debut, där allvar, humor och lekfullhet går hand i hand. Jag ser fram emot att höra mer från bandet och framförallt av Ina Sagstuen."

Dagsavisen (NO)
"Den enkle versjonen er at med Karokh kan alt skje på ein måte som får håret til på reise seg på alle. Krutsterkt blir det i alle fall, så det er berre å ruste seg. "

Enola.be(NE)
"Already one of the debut albums of the year"

Musikknyheter.no (NO)
"Karokh liker å prøve ut og leke litt med sjangre. Det er lett å høre. Noe av det de gjør, er langt fra tilgjengelig for folk flest, mens de også har en del elementer som er litt lettere fordøyelig. Og de evner ofte å ha begge deler i samme låt. De klarte det live og de klarer det også på Karokh. "

OA.no (NO)
"Dette er en gjeng som tenker stort og bredt, samtidig som musikken er smal og utilgjengelig. Eller er den egentlig det? «Problemet» med Karokh er at de bruker albumformatet for hva det er verdt. Det er godt nytt for platenytere som vil følge bandets skeive og uforutsigbare vei fra første til siste rille. Litt dårligere for utålmodige sjeler som vil ha alt i løpet av tre minutter på smarttelefonen sin."