AKROBAKKUS

Released in 2006 via independent record-label Tutl, "Akrobakkus" is the sophomore album by the Danish Avant-Prog-Rock group AFENGINN. The music is all instrumental, except of very few fragments featuring voices in Danish, and has very strong Klezmer, Gypsy, Balkan, Norse Folk, and Jazz-Fusion. There is no rock-guitarist in the line-up ? the major soloing instruments in arrangements are mandolin (performed by Kim Nyberg who is also the main composer for the band), violin (by Niels Skovmand), and clarinet (by Rasmus Krøyer). While these instruments create amazingly colorful, intense, and often humorous melodic ornaments, the rhythm-section (drums by Rune Kofoed, bass by Andrzej Krejniuk) tends to be more Prog-Rock oriented. The ensemble creates originally imaginative pieces and sometimes takes more challenging avant-garde approach to traditional musical structures, yet never loosing rhythmic and melodic finesse. The musicianship and sound production are wonderful, and this 62-minute album featuring 11 tunes is good fun-art from front to back. Highly recommended!