Reviews RCD2027
Despite the experimental nature of the music and the electronic touches applied by Sten, "Veggie" remains a very accessible and organic record, where melodies and simple instrumentation always emerge to craft the most intense and beautiful elements of these sonic constructions. The delicate, yet dense and complex, rhythmic components remain discreetly in the background, leaving Ballamy and Henriksen to weave intricate and captivating melodies, beautifully completing each other´s performance to create a magnificent and peaceful piece of work. Ballamy´s style is becoming more personal and perfect with each record, and Henriksen, Eilertsen and Strønen are more than simple support to the talent of the Brit, they provide the fuel to make "Veggie" a very important work. 5/5.
The Milk Factory (UK)
The interest of "Veggie" is generated by the tension between the unearthy electronics and the human warmth of the two soloists. Then, at one point, the human voice outdoes all those disembodied synthetic noises: Henriksen´s primal screaming on "Mushroom" distils the essence of the dark Scandinavian spirit, and very eerie it is.
The food references are misleadingly prosaic: this is remarkable, visionary music.
Jazz UK (UK)
Veggie is Food´s third album, their first for Rune Kristoffersen´s imprint. It is simply,
truly and profoundly beautiful as well as strikingly original and yet manages to remain grounded and accessible.
All Music Guide (US)
Food´s musical ideals have from day one been freedom, creativity and freshness. These are all fully present here, and producer Helge Sten has been very important when it comes to putting a new and totally original mark on the music. Brilliant!
Puls (NO)
Improvised jazz is a forbidding foreign land to most sane people, but this Anglo-Norwegian quartet are like a crisp autumn day in Prague compared to the genre´s usual permafrost i Gdansk. Sparse, breathy and melodic saxophone and trumpet drift through an austere electronic landscape provided by producer Deathprod, making this album well worth an Easyjet fare of anyone´s money. 4/5.
Muzik (UK)
The combination of rawness, elegance, soundshowers and understanding of jazz
puts "Veggie" on the top shelf, and the music has an organic life that is impressing. 5/6.
Aftenposten (NO)
I was going to start with the whine list, but didn´t find anything I wanted to complain about. The quartet really cooks.
Jazz Review (UK)
While nothing gets rushed by here, there is also a feeling of a tight mix. Food explores the improvisational world without meandering. Trumpet calls are doubled with a bit of electronic wash, and percussionist Thomas Stronen keeps up a human touch against sampled noise. The aural landscape is laid out as a desert of dark snow for listeners to pick up keen and sometimes muffled movements. Food´s "Veggie" is assuredly a top ten record this year.
Allaboutjazz.com (US)
The Milk Factory (UK)
The interest of "Veggie" is generated by the tension between the unearthy electronics and the human warmth of the two soloists. Then, at one point, the human voice outdoes all those disembodied synthetic noises: Henriksen´s primal screaming on "Mushroom" distils the essence of the dark Scandinavian spirit, and very eerie it is.
The food references are misleadingly prosaic: this is remarkable, visionary music.
Jazz UK (UK)
Veggie is Food´s third album, their first for Rune Kristoffersen´s imprint. It is simply,
truly and profoundly beautiful as well as strikingly original and yet manages to remain grounded and accessible.
All Music Guide (US)
Food´s musical ideals have from day one been freedom, creativity and freshness. These are all fully present here, and producer Helge Sten has been very important when it comes to putting a new and totally original mark on the music. Brilliant!
Puls (NO)
Improvised jazz is a forbidding foreign land to most sane people, but this Anglo-Norwegian quartet are like a crisp autumn day in Prague compared to the genre´s usual permafrost i Gdansk. Sparse, breathy and melodic saxophone and trumpet drift through an austere electronic landscape provided by producer Deathprod, making this album well worth an Easyjet fare of anyone´s money. 4/5.
Muzik (UK)
The combination of rawness, elegance, soundshowers and understanding of jazz
puts "Veggie" on the top shelf, and the music has an organic life that is impressing. 5/6.
Aftenposten (NO)
I was going to start with the whine list, but didn´t find anything I wanted to complain about. The quartet really cooks.
Jazz Review (UK)
While nothing gets rushed by here, there is also a feeling of a tight mix. Food explores the improvisational world without meandering. Trumpet calls are doubled with a bit of electronic wash, and percussionist Thomas Stronen keeps up a human touch against sampled noise. The aural landscape is laid out as a desert of dark snow for listeners to pick up keen and sometimes muffled movements. Food´s "Veggie" is assuredly a top ten record this year.
Allaboutjazz.com (US)