Release data:

Sverre Knut Johansen – Distant Shore
CD, Origo Sound, 1994

As far as I know, “Distant Shore” is the debut album by the Norwegian multi-instrumentalist Sverre Knut Johansen, who proves he’s also one hell of a composer in about 70 minutes.

The ten minute title track, assembling rhythms and both symphonic and intimate passages, is already a great example of that. This kind of music at times made me think of Gandalf’s early music. On the second piece “Nippon Dawn”, Mr Johansen skillfully displays some pleasant moods with slight Eastern flavours.

The kind of music on this album is a well-executed blend of occasional melodic music riding the edge between symphonic rock and electronics, although I’m not too fond of the contribution of a sax-player on two pieces.
At the end of the recording we find the 17-minute “Transition Suite” on which Sverre oncemore gives his best, aptly incorporating powerful rhythms and breaks in his symphonic sound paintings.

The great production skills of Erik Wollo put the icing on the cake for the highly-recommended “Distant Shore”.

Website: sverreknutjohansen.bandcamp.com

You can see what reviews I have done of this artist on the Sverre Knut Johansen artist page