Runa by Øystein Skar – Stationary Travels

Øystein Skar is a Norwegian pianist and composer. Having learned classical piano music at a young age and studying at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo, he spent years touring and recording with various projects and bands, primarily in the realms of jazz and experimental music, before shifting his focus towards experimental electronic music, pop, and studio work. Skar spent over a decade in the pop industry, touring extensively around the world with the band Highasakite with highlights including multiple Norwegian Grammys and platinum albums, selling out the Oslo Spektrum, performing at a Nobel Peace Prize concert, and performing alongside bands like Of Monsters and Men and London Grammar. Beyond that, Skar has collaborated with many of Norway’s leading dance and theatre companies, scoring music for television and creating commissioned works.

The occasion that brings this artist to our humble pages however is the forthcoming release of a lovely new solo record due this spring on the Moderna Records imprint. Hem (or “home” in the local dialect) was recorded during the cold winter months of 2023 in Skar’s home in a densely wooded area outside Oslo and the music it presents reflects the peace and solitude of that setting while striving throughout to conjure the feeling of returning to something familiar. Sonically, the album draws on Skar’s extensive musical background and runs a gamut from classical and jazz inflected solo piano to lively, sparkling arrangements that weave in mellotrons, celestas, and analog synths.

Ahead of the album’s release, you can enjoy a premiere viewing of a filmed performance of “Runa”, a tender, close mic’d solo piano piece that leads off the album and sets the tone for a beautiful listening experience. In the meantime, see the links below for more information and links when Hem becomes available on May 9th.

Home, for Skar, is represented and thought of in many ways throughout this collection, which explores feelings of gratitude, self-discovery, isolation, ways we hide in plain sight, connection, and resolution, in addition to remembering the people who impacted his life in profound ways.

Moderna Records

Links: Moderna Records (Bandcamp) | Moderna Records website | Øystein Skar website