Maja Solveig Kjelstrup Ratkje is perhaps the most important active composer in Norway’s experimental music scene.  The Trondheim native not only works with avant-garde music, but with contemporary classical, choral, experimental, electronic and even rock music.

She provides a new release which clocks in about 30 minutes of vocal improvisation which goes from quiet blips and boops to what sounds like harrowing growling and shreiks (yes, it works perfectly within the context of this music), textured with loops and the sorts of soundscapes Ratkje is known for.  The release is a documentation of her virtual performance at the TUSK Virtual Festival in 2020.

It is unfortunate that we have to live with the reality of not being able to attend such concerts for a while, but composers are a very creative bunch, and their music won’t be silenced.