Artists
Andrés Thor guitar
Magnús Trygvason Eliassen drums
Nico Moreaux double bass
CD + LP info
Catalogue No CD: LOS 332-2 EAN: 7090025833328
Catalogue No 180 gram LP: LOS 332-1 EAN: 7090025835223
- Relocate 4:07
- Is it Me, Is it You 5:25
- Tuesday Morning Coffee 4:02
- Grace on High 5:11
- Ker 5:55
- Mind and Matter 3:13
- Skewed Mindset 4:26
- Under the Weather 4:47
- Vingt Huit 3:10
Total time: 40:16
All compositions by Andrés Thor
Recorded December 2024 by Gestur Sveinsson
at Sýrland Studios, Reykjavík, Iceland
Mixed March & April 2026 by Andrés Thor, Hafnarfjörður, Iceland
Mastered April 2026 by Hafþór “Tempó” Karlsson, Reykjavík
Produced by Andrés Thor
Cover photo by Kjersti Holst
Trio photo by Bent Marinósson
Design by Max Franosch
This recording is supported by: Composers’ fund (Ruv & STEF),
Composers’ fund (Bylgjan & Stöð 2), Recording fund (STEF)
Digisleeve in the link below:
Download Press Release (PDF)
Kjøp plater direkte fra Losen Records. Kr 200,- per CD inkl. porto. Vipps til 99006190 og mail navn og adresse til odd@losenrecords.no
The first thing that struck me about the music presented here was the intense beauty of the sound
of the guitar. Lush throughout, from the introspective “Is It Me, Is It You”, to more dense tunes such
as “Tuesday Morning Coffee”. And oh, that pedal steel doubling with the electric guitar on “Grace On
High” is so mesmerising. Engineer Gestur Sveinsson deserves a feather in his cap for the excellent
recording quality: warm, direct, homogeneous, with subtle use of reverb and a fantastic approach to
the stereo placement of the instruments, making the music wonderfully transparent.
These musicians have nothing to prove; they simply add their maturity and individual voice to the
diverse tunes composed by Andrés. Bassist Nico Moreaux, navigating between Reykjavik and Paris,
is a truly wonderful player. A lush, warm sound; he possesses a strong melodic sense and great
interplay abilities. He is a wonderful example of how the double bass has developed over the last
four to five decades. His playing is modern, yet deeply rooted in a tradition that embraces bassists
like Larry Grenadier and Thomas Morgan, who both stand on the shoulders of greats like Dave
Holland, Palle Danielsson, George Mraz, and others. What a joy to listen to a fellow bassist who
plays with so much maturity, taste, fine intonation and musical dedication. Check out his interactive
playing on “Under The Weather”, his breathtaking solo on “Is It You, Is It Me”, and his concise intro
on “Vingt Huit”.
Drummer Magnús Trygvason Elíassen amazed me with his ability to always create a rhythmic
tapestry that supports each of the tunes, yet pulls the ear toward its own inner intricacies and
creativity. You can understand him being a much sought-after drummer in a broad musical field.
Personality, impeccable taste and sound is not only rare but also very precious.
And again I wonder: what is it that makes this small, magical, cold and rugged island of Iceland give
the world so many musical creators? Of course Björk, Sigur Rós, Of Monsters and Men, Kaleo, Laufey – but also Sunna Gunnlaugs, Sigurður Flosason, Tómas Einarsson, Óskar Guðjónsson, and Benjamin Gísli.
I remember my teaching days at the Royal Conservatory in Den Haag, where a number of
young Icelandic musicians studied during those years (with Andrés being one of them), and how,
without fail, they all possessed a certain strength of character, an individuality that was not to be
ignored. It was Nordic, it was European, it was solid, strong – full of personality. Well: listen to this
album, and that is exactly what you get.
The other thing that immediately catches the ear is the placement of the three instruments within
the music of the trio. Although the role of the bass and drums seems defined in a somewhat
traditional accompanying way, the space within the music allows each player to truly add to the
final tapestry of sounds, melodies and rhythms. And this is perhaps the most exciting realisation
for a listener: you get an immediate sense of three players who all possess the most important
quality of an improvising musician – their sense of listening. Playing on this level can only become
truly satisfying for the astute ear when you sense that every sound that any player creates at any
moment is completely connected with what came before, with what is within, and what is outside.
This masterful and delicate process is present in abundance on this recording.
It is wonderful to see how Andrés has developed into a mature and beautiful player and composer
over the years. His tunes on this album each have a distinct personality. This, combined with
renditions that are compact – without unnecessary meandering or leading the listener away from
the musical topic, gives us an album of nine musical poems: concise, precise, individual. Poems that
lead into conversations, but never wander too far away from them. Really Andrés, you did it. You
pulled me into your musical world and gave me an hour of deep musical joy and satisfaction that
is rare. Thank you for that.
Hein Van de Geyn
Scarborough, April 2026
