Band: Actionfredag | Album: Turist i eget liv | Genre: Progressive rock | Year: 2023
From: Oslo, Norway | Label: Hærverk Industrier
For fans of: Beardfish, Shaman Elephant, Jordsjø
I’ve talked at length about Scandinavia’s 21st Century ascent to being one of modern prog’s hotspots. Even within that small ecosystem, Norway’s scene is especially vibrant, with plenty of creative cross-pollination between acts. Actionfredag (Norwegian for “Action Friday”) is a collaboration between members of several bands, including Tusmørke and Jordsjø, with guest contributions from members of a number of other Norwegian prog acts.
Turist i eget liv (Tourist in My Own Life) is the first album from this band, and it’s a strong outing. But considering the members’ pedigrees, that should hardly come as a surprise.
The album opens with “Pönk på svenska” (“Pönk in Swedish” – Google Translate didn’t translate “Pönk”). It’s got a high-energy main riff powered by lightly-fuzzed guitars and glimmering, jazzy electric piano. Around the midway point, things quiet down a bit, though the main guitar line persists. When things pick back up, there’s some great hand percussion, and jazz flavors are more evident. This instrumental is a fun way to kick off the record.
In contrast, “En behagelig durakkord som sier noe om hvordan det er å se uten å bli sett” (“A pleasant major chord that says something about what it’s like to see without being seen”) has a more subdued feel. Rubbery, indistinct bass fills the space with a warm hum, and the vocal melody has a distinctively Norse feel to it. It’s dramatic without being overbearing; the instrumental elements are able to keep things more laid-back. The vocalist reminds me of Rikard Sjöblom of Beardfish on this cut. I really like the inclusion of violins, too.
“Gadgetry cum dystopia” also features a mellower mood than the opener. Reedy oboe or clarinet adds a distinctive character, and the vocals are under so many layers of effects, they sound like an oddball guitar line. Contrasting elements to the overriding folk influences do show up, including a crashing wall of cacophonous guitars. This constant shifting helps keep the song interesting.
Clean guitar lines kick off “Peaches en Ulven” (“Peaches a Wolf”). The warm, buzzy synths and ample hand percussion are comparable to sounds I’ve heard on Regal Worm’s last two albums. Much like Regal Worm’s last couple releases, there’s a vaguely retro feel to all this.
“Jesus i min bod” (“Jesus in my closet”) starts with a jerky, start-stop instrumental line before progressing into something a bit smoother. There’s still some irregularity to the backing piano chords, but that lends a sense of looseness and improvisationality. The band shifts back and forth between these jumpy ideas and more flowing passages. The midsection of this song is fairly heavy, with looming guitar dominating the overall sound.
Turist i eget liv ends on its longest song, “Ensomhet er bare en følelse” (“Loneliness is Just a Feeling”). It features a rolling melody with obvious forward momentum. The vocals are strong, and I really enjoy the violin embellishments. The band deploys some irregular chords here and there, and I like that odd contrast. Overall, this song follows an arc similar to other pieces on this album. It’s a cohesive piece that moves through passages of high intensity and mellower moments quite effectively.
The first album from Actionfredag is an energetic, distinctly Scandinavian record. It combines a lot of threads present in the modern Scandinavian prog scene–jazz flavors, native folk influences, subtle nods to classic prog–into a coherent whole.
Score: 83/100
The Elite Extremophile 