photos by Nils Fredrik Wilsløff-Høgestøl
The Progspace is hosting an exclusive stream of The Book Of Hours, the incredible debut LP from Norwegian instrumental progressive rock project AGROPELTER, ahead of the album’s release this Friday on The Lasers Edge.
AGROPELTER is the creative outlet of multi-instrumentalist Kay Olsen, a new contender on the blossoming Norwegian prog scene. The music lends as much inspiration from the classic prog groups like Genesis, Camel, King Crimson, and Eloy, as it does from classic composers Rachmaninoff, Beethoven, Bach, along with Vangelis and Terje Rypdal.
On AGROPELTER’s The Book Of Hours, listeners will be met with a wealth of lush tones from Mellotron, Hammond organs, ARP, cembalo, Minimoogs, and Taurus bass pedals. With all guitars, bass, church organ, and keyboard leads on the album performed by Kay Olsen, the album also features contributing musicians Jonas Reingold (Steve Hackett, The Flower Kings, Kaipa, Karmakanic) on fretless bass, Andreas Sjøen (Umpfel, VÅDE, Sean Ashe) on drums, and Mattias Olsson (Änglagård, White Willow, Molesome) handling percussion, vintage synth overdubs, and atmosphere, as well as a wide array of classical musicians providing various strings and woodwinds. As the interest in Scandinavian prog rock continues to trend upward, you can count on AGROPELTER being a part of the action.
The Book Of Hours was mixed and mastered by the great Jacob Holm-Lupo (White Willow, Donner, Solstein) and completed with cover art by Dag E. Clausen.
With their early stream of the record, The Progspace is running a track-by-track rundown of the album written by Kay Olsen, who also writes, “This album is a summary of what I would love to listen to myself. It features all the styles and genres I normally pull out of my shelves when I sit down and listen to records. Hopefully, I managed to compose an album that sounds original, although not completely removed from my greatest influences.”
Immerse yourself in AGROPELTER’s The Book Of Hours early at The Progspace RIGHT HERE.
And if you missed them, catch the jaw-dropping video for the lead song “The Book Of Hours Part II” video HERE and the video for “Levitator” HERE.
The Book Of Hours will be released on CD, LP, and digital platforms this Friday, July 25th. Preorders are live at The Lasers Edge webshop HERE and Bandcamp, the standard audio HERE and the 24 bit hi-res HERE.
“I’ve had to come up with new ways to digest it and be able to talk about it that’s not relying on influences and comparisons, because they really aren’t there. It’s definitely its own thing. It’s really good, if you love instrumental progressive music, seventies style, but you want something that’s kind of original, this is it. Very, very cool stuff!” – Sea Of Tranquility
“Right from the beginning, the Goblin-sque arrangements just burst through the floodgates as Olsen marches through the town with his instruments with the robotic themes as it goes into this film-noir approach… Quite the journey this is, but The Book Of Hours is a realization that AGROPELTER are here to stay and they are keeping the genre up and running with more train tracks approaching to see where their next adventure will lead them to.” – Echoes And Dust
“Without vocals, the album demands that you listen closely to catch all of the many different nuances present. Is it a challenge? Yes and no. First, I played it and listened intently. But the second time, I just let the music play and didn’t over analyze. Either method produced the same result…a pleasurable listening experience and reverence for the composer.” – Metal Temple
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