Since his first release on Stockholm’s contemporary techno/electronica base Northern Electronics, Jonas Rönnberg’s Varg project has come a long way. With more than a dozen albums of twisted dance rhythms, stimulated by industrial sounds and new age ambient (some of them co-written with Abdulla Rashim as Ulwheadnar), the frequently updated catalogue has become the source of one of our day’s most important leftfield techno.
‘Nordic Flora Pt.3: Gore-Tex City‘ is Rönnberg’s second album in 2017, following Ulwhednar’s ‘Modern Silver‘. Ambient dominates mostly over the thirteen collaboration heavy tracks, though there are also some pulsating drums and rhythm-wise arrangement, even two straight up techno tracks at the end.
"Nordic Flora Series Pt.3: Gore-Tex City is one of Varg’s most approachable albums to date, yet, it never fails to sound as genuine as you could expect."
Painter, sculptor and video artist Chloe Wise appearance in ‘Forever 21 / Valium and Euros & Euros & Euros (EBG)’ with her sometimes erotic, yet vividly refreshing and flummoxing Tumblr age literature is one of the most memorable parts of the album. Swedish rapper Yung Lean lends his vocal in ‘Red Line II (127 Sätra C) 4,’ where the white soundscapes suddenly get a trap like vibe, resulting the strangest of eight minutes. Alessandro Cortini’s and Drew McDovall’s presence in ‘Fonus’ feels like a salute to a snowstorm at night.
These examples indicate how big-a-scope Gore-Tex City has, however Rönnberg feels quite confident on his own too. For example the album openers, ‘Champagne Ceremonies and Yamanote Line (原宿)’ are perfect mood-setters, they both have that hazy texture that make his music intriguing (or in general, the whole Northern Electronics catalogue), while in the last thirteen minutes ‘Gore-Tex シティ’ and ‘Stockholm City (Drottninggatan, Sergels torg)’ delivers excellent interpretations of how these sound palettes could function on the dance floor.
Nordic Flora Series Pt.3: Gore-Tex City is one of Varg’s most approachable albums to date, yet, it never fails to sound as genuine as you could expect. Given the fact the record is more than seventy minutes long, it is quite an achievement.
Nordic Flora Series Pt.3: Gore-Tex City is scheduled for release 27th March 2017, order a copy on Bandcamp.
TRACKLIST
1. Champagne Ceremonies
2. Yamanote Line (原宿)
3. Platforms Surrounded by Fences (EU)
4. Forever 21 / Valium with Chloe Wise
5. Red Line (114 Östermalmstorg – 127 Vårberg) with Matti Bye, Christian Augustin & Henrik Söderström
6. I Hope You are Still There (新宿御苑)
7. Blue Line (112 Rådhuset) with AnnaMelina
8. Fonus with Drew McDowall & Alessandro Cortini
9. Snake City / Maserati music
10. Red Line II (127 Sätra C) 4 with Yung Lean
11. Euros & Euros & Euros (EBG) with F. Valentin & Chloe Wise
12. Gore-Tex シティ
13. Stockholm City (Drottninggatan, Sergels torg)
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