Bel Canto | Radiant Green
2024 marks a much-anticipated return for Bel Canto, the Tromsø duo renowned for their pioneering contributions to electronic music, as they introduce their latest work, ‘Radiant Green’, their first album after a 22-year hiatus. Scheduled for release on April 26th, 2024, this album is a testament to their enduring creativity and musical innovation. It presents a refreshing sound that still retains the distinctive essence of the duo's extensive catalog of stunning albums.
The inception of ‘Radiant Green’ followed a series of live performances, notably ending with a significant show at the Øya festival in 2017, which inspired Drecker and Johansen to start crafting what would become their new album. This endeavor has been a collaboration with celebrated figures such as Gilles Martin, who had a hand in producing the duo’s earliest albums, as well as Erik Ljunggren and Matias Tellez, the latter of whom took on the mixing duties for this project.
A standout track, ‘Virginia’, showcases a special duet with Sondre Lerche, a longtime collaborator and friend of Anneli Drecker, adding a layer of depth and connection to the album. Additionally, Andreas Eriksen, a familiar face in Bel Canto’s projects, adds his percussion skills, while ‘Wave Without A Shore’ features the talents of Frida Fredrikke Waaler Wærvågen on cello and Nils Petter Molvær on trumpet. Adding to the album’s diverse soundscape is a mesmerizing saxophone solo by Steven Brown of Tuxedomoon on the French-language song ‘Train Window Girl’.