LEAGUS

LEAGUS is a contemporary and improvised musical act rooted in a coastal sami tradition. The duo consists of pianist and vocalist Herborg Rundberg and guitarist Kristian Svalestad Olstad. Their debut Lea Áigi (CAMO 2016) received brilliant reviews in both Norwegian and foreign press, as did their concerts supporting the album. The music spanned from dimmed minimalistic psalm like pieces to intrusive and rapid free-noise parts. Herborg's previous work with coastal sami music and Kristian's extended use of guitar, set the recurrent theme of the music presented on Lea Áigi. This release established LEAGUS as a contemporary and uncompromising act from the sami area in arctic Norway.

Their second album Naimaka is due for release on Camo January 25th 2019. Naimakka is a small an extremely cold place in the far northern part of Sweden. This remote place housed Herborg's family on her father's side in the 19th century. As well as being a euphonious title, Naimaka also refers to the Sami flavour of LEAGUS` music. Naimaka shows a larger and more constructed side of the band as this record was recorded with to external musicians; drummers Wetle Holte and Christer Jørgensen. Pieces with more traditional structures and compositional techniques is merged together with the free musical language LEAGUS is known for in the past.

Herborg Rundberg (b.1974) studied classical music and jazz/pop/rock at the Arctic University of Norway. Her commissioned work for the Riddu Riđđu festival resulted in her solo-debut (Árbi released 2010) as a pianist and composer. Besides LEAGUS Herborg is also working with various other artists and bands located i Tromsø, such as Mara & The Inner Strangeness. LEAGUS started out as Herborg's main project as a part of her Master Studies in performing arts in Tromsø.

Kristian Svalestad Olstad (b.1985) studied jazz/pop/rock at the Arctic Univesity of Norway between 2005-2013. As well as being involved as a freelance musician and studio-technician in several musical acts in various genres, his main focus is the music within the improvised scene in Norway working with bands like LEAGUS, Kol, MØRK and Eter amongst others. Kristian is also the co-founder of the record label CAMO together with Benjamin Mørk.

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