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AMOR/LEMUR is the amalgamation of two very different musical ventures.
Glasgow-based avant-disco unit AMOR met LEMUR on stage at the Glasgow Centre for Contemporary Art in early 2020, weeks before Covid shut down the live arts. The resulting live set turned into a dancable and extatic collaboration, a democratic approach attesting to the communal experience and possibilities of disco. Their following recording session captured much of this energy, resulting in “the loosest, liveliest and most elevated recording in AMOR’s catalogue”, according to their label Night School.
Richard Youngs, vocals and piano Luke Fowler, synths and samplers Michael Duch, bass Paul Thomson, drums and percussion Bjørnar Habbestad, flutes Hild Sofie Tafjord, horn Lene Grenager, cello
Presque rien (2024)
A stereophonic ear-theatre for quartet and field recordings
Under development. Expected premiere spring 2025.
A new work for ensemble and electronics where encapsulating soundscapes are drawn from outdoor performances at Veierland, a small roadless island outside Tønsberg, Norway. Changing sonic scenarios are captured and manipulated live, woven into the subtle performance of the four instrumentalists.
LEMUR: Presquerien (2024) – excerpt
We are working on our lates project, Presque Rien, for ensemble and electronics. It is based on field recordings and instrumental recordings from outdoor performances at Veierland, a small roadless island outside Tønsberg, Norway. Changing sonic scenarios are captured and manipulated live, woven into the subtle performance of the four instrumentalists. Check out an excerpt available here ->
LEMUR return to Glasgow to lead this year’s Cramb Residency, in conjunction with Nordic Music Days.
During their time at the University from the 8-9 May 2024 , they will perform in the University Chapel on Wednesday 8 May and host an open workshop and discussion on Thursday 9 May
On Wednesday 8 May, they will perform twice – joining the end of Kevin Bowyer’s organ recital (6pm) before, after a short break, their own set at 7.30pm.
On the afternoon of Thursday 9 May, they will take over the music building at 14 University Gardens for a discussion of their work, followed by a short break and some site-specific workshops in different parts of the building.
Lemur teams up with Caput Ensemble for the premiere of Critical Bands!
The performance is part of the Erkiti∂ festival in Reykjavik.
Lemur and Friends will perform in Sasha Waltz / Terri Riley’s In C, a choreographic continuation of the democratic principles of this minimalist score. Sasha Waltz has transferred the concept to dance, creating 53 movement phrases for use in a structured improvisation with clear rules, echoing the structure of the musical score.
CRITICAL BANDS is the culmination of Lemur’s decade-long exploration of physical, abstract, and ephemeral sonic spaces. Recorded by more than fifty musicians in different sites and configurations across several countries, the album exposes deep layers of sonic exploration. Complex instrumental materials are captured and filtered through different architectonic spaces, revealing a modular, site-specific composition practice.
The album was recorded in Nidarosdomen (Trondheim), Korskirken (Bergen), Sofienberg kirke (Oslo), LiteraturHaus (Copenhagen), Notam (Oslo), Harpa (Reykjavik), and Athletic Sound (Halden) and subsequently combined, edited and re-composed by the ensemble.
The work is realized with performances from outstanding musicians from Norway and abroad:
Bjørnar Habbestad (flutes), Hild Sofie Tafjord (horn), Lene Grenager (cello), Michael Francis Duch (double bass), Dirk Bruinsma (soprano sax), Eivind Lønning (trumpet), Morten Barrikmo (clarinets), Tanja Orning (cello) and Robin Hayward (tuba), Anders Rove, Jostein Bolås Brødreskift, David Andersson, Björn Petersson, Morten Berger Stai, Kristian B. Jacobsen (double bass), Ellen Holmås, Astrid Solberg, Astri Hoffmann-Tollaas, Johannes Borchgrevink, Marianne Baudouin Lie (cello), Daniel Formo (organ) Lotte Anker, Torben Snekkestad (sax), Liza Gibbs (oboe) and Anna Klett (clarinet). Robin Hayward, Martin Taxt and Peder Simonsen (microtonal tubas). Ole Henrik Moe (violin, viola, piccolo violin and Octobass) and Kari Rønnekleiv (violin).
Recorded by Thorolf Thuestad, Bjørnar Habbestad, Lene Grenager, Thomas Hukkelberg, John Hegre, Tor Breivik and Christian Obermayer. Edited by Thorolf Thuestad and Christian Obermeyer. Produced by Bjørnar Habbestad and Lene Grenager.
