Anneli Drecker - Rocks & Straws (2015)

Anneli Drecker´s ethereal voice first became known through the music of her band, Bel Canto, back in the late 80s. Only 17, Anneli left her Arctic hometown of Tromsø with band members Geir Jenssen (aka Biosphere) and Nils Johansen, for the pulsating indie scene in Bruxelles. Signed to the legendary Belgian label Crammed Discs, Bel Canto captured the zeitgeist of European electronic music. Their first two albums, "White Out Conditions" and "Birds Of Passage", were released internationally and won the Norwegian grammy award three times. With her characteristic singing style, often compared to other wonderful singers such as Lisa Gerrard and Liz Frasier, Anneli has collaborated with artists such as Hector Zazou, Jah Wobble, Gavin Friday, DJ Krush, Tim Simenon, Simon Raymonde of Cocteau Twins, Guy Sigsworth and Ketil Bjørnstad. She also joined a-ha on two world tours as their guest singer and has toured the world for more than 10 years singing with Røyksopp and co-writing a number of songs with them. "Rocks & Straws" is a homecoming album, an ode to her native town and region. The songs, all composed by Anneli, are based on lyrics by cult poet Arvid Hanssen and translated to English by artist and writer Roy-Frode Løvland. Hanssen´s poems are strongly influenced by the mysterious and powerful nature of this arctic region, like the writings of Knut Hamsun, born only a few miles from Hanssen´s birthplace. "Rocks & Straws" is also very much an acoustic record based on recording techniques from the 70s. The music is played live, with some of Norway´s finest musicians: Guitarist Eivind Aarset, drummer Rune Arnesen, bassist Ole Vegard Skauge and The Arctic Philharmonic, Tromsø´s acclaimed orchestra. Apart from singing Anneli plays the piano and organ, and has produced the record.