As far as Danish electro goes, Anders Trentemøller is the godfather. The 36- year-old exemplifies what it means to be a modern Danish musician, with his spacious and airy brand of electro both a product and a reflection of his surroundings. His is a music so uniquely Scandinavian it’s become a part of the landscape. His tracks continue to be remixed, and his focus on staying fresh sees him change and evolve with every release.
Based in Copenhagen, Trentemøller first found exposure through the Berlin producer Steve Bug, who released the 12-inch single ‘Physical Fraction’ through his Automatique label. There followed three successive singles that were applauded for their originality, and by 2006 Trentemøller was ready to release his first full-length album. Consisting of 13 instrumental tracks, The Last Resort was received well around the world, earning him considerable international radio play as well as several album of the year awards. The tour that followed included festivals such as Glastonbury, Melt and Roskilde and saw Trentemøller introduce live musicians into his stage show.
Trentemøller’s music seems to reflect the clean minimalism of Scandinavia itself. Spacious, yet dense and with just the right amount of mystique, the instruments he employs overlap and complement each other, all underscored by deliberately simple percussion. His songs carry set emotions, but we’re made to guess exactly what they could be. More than anything, his music is imbued with feeling and a very definite sense of striving towards something. Although many of his songs would be suitable to a dance club, most are more intellectual and carefully constructed to give room for pause.
Last year saw the release of his second album ‘Into the Great Wide Yonder’. Not wanting to reproduce his first album again, Trentemøller has left much of the moody synthesisers behind in favour of more live guitars and vocals. The first single of the album, ‘Sycamore Feeling’, features Danish singer-songwriter Marie Fisker, and the album includes other collaborations with artists including Fyfe Dangerfield, Solveig Sandnes and Josephine Philip.
Into the Great Wide Yonder was a brave departure from what Trentemøller is known for and this reflects his willingness to adapt and change. The album manages to combine a collage of genres that reflect his own tastes and all seem to blend seamlessly. It’s this dynamism and experimentation that keep this artist interesting and make him impossible to pigeon hole.
There’s a definite focus on the artistic in Trentemøller’s music, and this is reflected in the visuals that accompany him when he plays live. It’s not uncommon for the large screens set up behind the band to play videos that are both strange and unique, a visual representation of the music itself. Employing video directors such as Karim Ghahwagi, Trentemøller aims to create a more rounded sensory experience designed to engross his audience.
This year has seen the release of an album that features some of the best remixes Trentemøller has done of his own work, as well as that of other artists. He changes and morphs some well-known tracks into ones that are barely recognisable – testament to the skill he has behind the mixing desk. With a full support band and an array of live goodies, Trentemøller will be sure to impress.
Trentemøller
Den Gra Hal
Friday 21:00; 300 kr
