Music is like a huge release of tension.
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James Taylor
With more than 20 years of experience as a professional musician, music producer, mastering engineer, and song writer, Knut Bjørnar Asphol has worked with numerous bands and artists within a variety of genres. Unparalleled knowledge and insight into music production and the music business has enabled him to contribute his own productions to the Eurovision Song Contest, as well as other nationally televised events and even film scores. An ever-growing resume includes the participation in many hundred released albums, including production duties on the Dreamworks movie “How to train a dragon 2”, to release solo albums in the ambient jazz genre. He recieve Spellemannsprisen (Norwegian Grammy) in 2017 for best album for children with the artist Superbarna.
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Born in Molde, Norway, Knut Bjørnar wasted little time to begin his journey with music. First playing the guitar at the tender age of 6, it was not long before he had written and recorded more than 80 songs on a cassette recorder for his nearest and dearest family members - and all before his 13th birthday. Early on, he was heavily influenced by bands such as Kiss and Deep Purple, and spent the majority of his time practicing scales, chords, solos, and mimicking his heros' stage moves in front of the mirror. The town of Molde annually plays host to one of the world's most celebrated jazz festivals - the Molde International Jazz Festival. This festival proved to be a key ingredient in Asphol's development, and a significant channel for him to explore great musicians, and provided an open door for the discovery of improvised music. Soon Knut Bjørnar found himself shifting influences from Gary Moore, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Jimi Hendrix to the improvisational genius of players like John Scofield, Pat Metheny, and Terje Rypdal.
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In 1998, Asphol completed his Masters Degree in Music from the University of Oslo. His main dissertation was based on his research in the development of the distorted sound. This essay, entitled "Exploring Distortion", was a new direction for subject study within the University. Staffan William-Olsson and Eivind Aarset, two of his guitar teachers and advisers at this time, helped Knut Bjørnar to embark on his journey into these previously uncharted waters. Eventually his work and life as a freelance musician provided the perfect platform to start Masterpool Studio, where he began to record and produce music for other artists. Then delving even further, Asphol established a world-class analog mastering studio. In 2003, he participated in the National Eurovision Final with his band (Monopole) and as a composer. Knut Bjørnar then joined the band Postscriptum in 2005. Two years later, 2007 saw the release of the group's widely acclaimed album "Prophet Deny". Postscriptum then embarked on a heavy tour schedule throughout Norway and the rest of Europe in support of said album. In 2009, our hero decided to end his relationship with the band - due to his increasing demand as a producer and mastering engineer.
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Through the midst of playing the gothic rock of Postscriptum, and simultaneously producing commercial music, Asphol found new inspiration from the emerging Scandinavian jazz movement. Releases such as Bugge Wesseltoft's "New Conception of Jazz", and Nils Petter Molvaer's "Khmer" were particularly influential. Massive Attack's 1998 release "Mezzanine" quickly became one of his favorite records, and further established his new found interest in combining a variety of genres and sounds from samples, beats, and guitars.
In 2007 Knut Bjørnar Asphol composed the soundtrack for the documentary film "Tikopia". This project provided him with a unique opportunity to utilize his background in jazz and electronica. With the distinguishing voices recorded from the island of Tikopia, he combined soulful songs of local elders with beats, guitars, and programming. All of these elements resulting in the record "Organic Ocean" (february 2008).
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In 2008, he started a family project called Superbarna. This was a group with children. This project released 2 albums in 2009. The fifth album was released in November 2016, and received Spellemannsprisen (the Norwegian Grammy) for best album for children music in 2017
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October 14, 2011 celebrates the awaited release of Knut Bjørnar Asphol's latest opus, "Mnemonic". Many of the early ideas for this album were recorded in the autumn of 2008, but like a fine wine; it would need time to fully mature and be "un-corked".
Knut Bjørnar produced lots of albums for different artists in this period, so the album was ready for the world in June 2013. He was lucky to get many of his favourite musicians on "Wilderness Exit". This great team of musicians made the album to a fantastic atmospheric journey : Nils Petter Molvær, Helge Lien, Stian Carstensen, Harpreet Bansal, Magnus Westgaard, Zotora, Torstein Lofthus, Martin Hystad and Sanskriti Shrestha. In March 2013 he recorded a duo album with the great violin player Harpreet Bansal. She participate on two tracks on "Wilderness Exit". This is a great ambient album with violin, guitar, electronics and tabla. The album "Ragatronic" was released in February 2014, and was a great collaboration that inspired both Bansal and Asphol to collaborate again in the future.
Asphol released "Tabloid Red" in February 2016. It is an ambient album best described as reminiscent of the classic works of Brian Eno. On the nine tracks of "Tabloid Red", Asphol's guitar playing is transformed into mostly spherical soundscapes, some – as with "The Silver Thread" – featuring everyday sounds, or else with percussive elements worked into the mix by way of sampling and programming. The album is produced by Jan Bang and was recorded in his studio in Kristiansand, Norway. Erik Honoré mixed the album and did some additional sampling. "Tabloid Red" is Knut Bjørnar Asphol's most experimental work to date. It is an ambient gem of solemn beauty, one that requires a great deal of time and idiosyncratically leads us to rediscover the beauty of slowness.
Knut Bjørnar loves electronic music and loves to combine organic acoustic instruments with electronic textures. He began diving deep into this genre in the late 90’s. He has also used a lot of electronic elements on his solo albums and on albums that he has produced for other artists. In 2016, he released the first single from his electronica project D’Dorian. He released three singles the first year and followed up with an EP trilogy called Mind Flower. Part 1 was released in February 2017.
Check out more of Knut Bjørnar Asphol projects (press on the cover):
DISCOGRAPHY (SELECTED)
2020 SINGLE WALKING IN THE AIR - Tomine MIkkeline
2020 SINGLE JEG HAR LEVD - Jan Thomas
2020 ALBUM HEMINGWAY CAFÉ - KNUT
2020 SINGLE MAGIC - Alexander Rybak
2020 ALBUM BREEZE - KNUT
2020 SINGLE WE’LL MEET AGAIN - Gjerikara
2020 SINGLE GIVE ME RAIN - Alexander Rybak
2020 SINGLE WHOLE WORLD - Alexander Rybak
2020 SINGLE CAN’T WE TRY AGAIN - Jens Andreas Kleiven
2020 SINGLE HONANSA, DET ER SOMMER - Jan Thomas
2020 ALBUM CHARMSTONE - Charmstone (Torstein Lofthus/Knut Bjørnar Asphol)
2020 SINGLE THE START OF SOMETHING NEW - Tore Petterson
2020 SINGLE RAINBOW - Kim Rysstad
2019 SINGLE JULEFRED - Jan Thomas
2019 ALBUM JAKT - Jens Andreas Kleiven
2019 ALBUM ONE NIGHT ONLY - High Red
2019 SINGLE OCTOBER - Natti
2019 SINGLE ALDRI ALENE - Oslo Soul Children
2019 SINGLE JEG ROR ALENE - Hanne Krogh/Jan Thomas
2019 SINGLE I’M STILL HERE - Alexander Rybak
2019 ALBUM EMBRACE - Bergen Soul Children
2019 SINGLE DU ER SÅ FIN - Knut Anders Sørum
2019 ALBUM DOM VONDE ORDA - Knut Anders Sørum
2019 SINGLE HEI - Gutta
2019 ALBUM DRØMMEØNSKE - Barbro Wiig Sulebakk og Zing Zang
2018 SINGLE HÅP (NÅR HJERTET HAMRER) - Soundtrack Troll
2018 SPILLETLISTER Diverse artister - Idol Norge 2018
2018 ALBUM STATSMINISTER - Superbarna
2018 SINGLE MOM - ALEXANDER RYBAK
2018 SINGLE THAT’S HOW YOU WRITE A SONG - ALEXANDER RYBAK
2018 CD HOME - STINA KJELDSTAD
2018 SINGLE LITT NÆRMERE DEG - KNUT ANDERS SØRUM
2018 SINGLE SPÅRA VÅRES - NARUM
2017 SINGLE RUN - ERLEND BRATLAND
2017 CD MAYDAY - LEWI BERGRUD
2017 CD HULDERBLOD - MARTINE KRAFT
2017 CD UP HIGH - AINA FRIDÉN
2017 CD GJENKLANG - SILJA LEKNES
2017 CD REMIX - THE KITCH AND SINK BAND
2017 EP MIND FLOWER PART 1 - D’DORIAN
2017 SINGLE RAVN - MARTINE KRAFT
2017 SINGLE REDD KA I FINN - MATS NERLI
2017 CD OVER THE TREES
2017 CD A PIECE IN THE APPLE - FRODE KJEKSTAD
2017 SINGLE RUST - KNUT-ERIK LOTHE
2017 SINGLE ALDRI FOR SEINT - SPIRA
2016 CD HIPP HURRA - SUPERBARNA
2016 CD DER ROSER ALDRI DØR - MARIT OG IRENE
2016 CD TING FLYT REMIX - KNUT ANDERS SØRUM
2016 CD LEAP OF FAITH - JENS ANDREAS KLEIVEN
2016 CD CON AMORE - NORDIC TENORS
2016 CD SYNG TIL TRØYST - SØLVI HOPLAND
2016 CD VISER - SØLVI HOPLAND
2016 CD MITT LIV - SISSI
2016 CD VINGER - SPIRA
2016 CD TABLOID RED - KNUT BJØRNAR ASPHOL
2016 CD FRA JORD TIL HIMMEL - TOFTE
2016 CD ECHOES OF RAINDROPS - SONGS FROM THE SEA
2016 NÅR KLOKKENE SLÅR - GOSPELKORET HIM
2016 SINGLE LØVETANN - ANGELICA KJOS
2016 SINGLE JEG TRODDE HELVETE FANNS MYE NÆRMERE - HIMMELHØYT
2016 SINGEL ET BARN ER FØDT - SISSEL MORKEN GULLORD
2016 SINGLE NÅR KJERKEKLOKKA SLÅR - LEWI BERGRUD
2016 SINGLE ABRAZAME - ALEXANDER RYBAK
2016 SINGLE I CAME TO LOVE YOU - ALEXANDER RYBAK
2016 SINGLE RØMMER IFRÅ (D’DORIAN REMIX) - KNUT ANDERS SØRUM
2016 SINGLE MONOKROM (D’DORIAN REMIX) - KNUT ANDERS SØRUM
2016 SINGLE BIT TENNA HOPPES OG JAG (D’DORIAN REMIX) - KNUT ANDERS SØRUM
2016 SINGLE MEG OG ET GATELYS (D’DORIAN REMIX) - KNUT ANDERS SØRUM
2016 SINGLE FAIRYTALE - D’DORIAN
2016 SINGLE ETAGE TRIOS - D’DORIAN
2016 SINGLE A KING IS BORN - D’DORIAN
2016 SINGLE TED - TERJE TYLDEN
2016 SINGLE THE SUN ALWAYS SHINE ON TV - JORUNN HAUGE/MORTEN REPPESGÅRD
2016 SINGLE TIME AND AGAIN - JORUNN HAUGE/MORTEN REPPESGÅRD
2016 SINGLE BARRICADE - TOM EGE
2016 SINGLE SUMMER PILGRIM - TOM EGE
2016 SINGLE GUTTA - GUTTA
2016 SINGLE HIMMELFOT - MARTINE KRAFT
2016 SINGLE MØRKETID - MARTINE KRAFT
2015 CD LEST WE FORGET - STEPHAN CHRISTIANSEN
2015 CD RAGATRONIC - KNUT BJØRNAR ASPHOL OG HARPREET BANSAL
2015 CD ELSKET - TEAM SULEBAKK
2015 CD MY HUMDRUM DAYS - KJETIL ROSTAD
2015 CD CHRISTMAS TIME - REJOICE
2015 CD ET JULEEVANGELIUM - THEA KAMFJORD ERIKSEN
2015 CD CHANDRA - BANSAL TRIO
2015 CD LIVSGLEDE 4 - OSLO SOUL CHILDREN
2015 CD REAL LIFE - OSLO SOUL TEENS
2015 CD MORSMÅL - KLØVER OG SKARRE R
2015 CD LIVE CHRISTMAS - NORDIC TENORS
2015 SINGLE UT PÅ GULVET - ERIK OG KRISS
2015 SINGLE HEAD TO THE SKY - FISKAA
2015 SINGLE STAY WITH ME - BJØRN OLAV EDVARDSEN
2014 CD TROLLE - ALEXANDER RYBAK
2014 CD FJELLJAZZ - MARIT SKIKKELSTAD
2014 CD HONEST - HANNE LELAND
2014 SINGLE WISH FOR YOU - RAYLEE
2014 SINGLE INTO A FANTASY - ALEXANDER RYBAK
2014 CD SOUNDTRACK - HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2
2014 EP THE RISE - NEW CANVAS
2014 SINGLE FLASKEPOST - SUPERBARNA FEAT. KNUT ANDERS SØRUM
2014 CD HOME WILL NEVER BE THE SAME - NERLI THERE
2014 CD ELAK - ROBIN OG BUGGE
2014 CD IMAGINED DEED - GUNNHILD HUSER
2014 CD SOMMERFUGLVINGER - BARBRO WIIG SULEBAKK
2014 CD ELAK - ROBIN OG BUGGE
2014 CD LIVSGLEDE 4 - OSLO SOUL CHILDREN
2014 CD ELYSIUM - KOLBU JANITSJARKORPS
2014 CD LIVETS BLUES - JAN ARILD SØRNES
2014 SINGLE TILL THE END - HEGE ØVERSVEEN
2013 CD WILDERNESS EXIT - KNUT BJØRNAR ASPHOL
2013 CD CHRISTMAS TALES - ALEXANDER RYBAK
2013 CD HVILKEN VEI - TEAM SULEBAKK
2013 CD SECRET PLACE - SILJE MARIA
2013 CD EN STJERNE SKINNER - MARIT OG IRENE
2013 CD SPILLED SOUP - SPILLED SOUP
2013 CDx4 47 FAVORITTER - MARIT OG IRENE
2013 CD FRAGILE MIND - MARTINE KRAFT
2013 CD YOHAN SOUNDTRACK
2013 CD RELIGION IN TRANSIT - SYNKOKE
2013 CD SLUMBER - CARL ERIK HEDLØV
2013 CD YOUNG BLONDE AND CHRISTIAN - THE CHRISTIANS
2013 SINGLE KILL THE ELEPHANT - AT YOUR LEISURE
2012 CD SLAV TO THE RHYTHM - FARMERS MARKET
2012 CD KILL ME - DIAMOND DOG
2012 CD I GOT ISSUES - LISA CHARLENE HASSELBERG
2012 CD ALL ABOUT LOVE - REJOICE
2012 CD DENNE DAGEN ER DIN - REFLEX
2012 CD KLING NO KLOKKA - PARELI
2012 CD 60 BESTE - REFLEX
2011 CD VISA VID VINDENS - ALEXANDER RYBAK
2011 CD THE IDEOLOGIST - SYNKOKE
2011 CD JULELYS - TEAM SULEBAKK
2011 CD FACE IT - TEAM SULEBAKK
2011 CD SUPERSTJERNE - SUPERBARNA
2011 CD MNEMONIC - KNUT BJØRNAR ASPHOL
2011 CD MICHELLE AAVITSLAND
2011 CD ON MY WAY - MARTIN ALFSEN OG REFLEX
2011 CD SUPERSTJERNE - SUPERBARNA
2011 CD LOVE - OSLO SOUL CHILDREN
2011 CD TRANSIT - KRISTIN SEVALDSEN & THE MILLIONAIRES
2011 CD AFTENSTEMNING - CAMILLA GRANLIEN OG KRISTIN SEVALDSEN
2011 CD REST - ISELIN ANDRESEN
2011 CD RETT HJEM TIL JUL - MARTIN ALFSEN
2011 CD MINE JULESANGER - JAN GROTH
2010 CD LIVSGLEDE 3 - OSLO SOUL CHILDREN
2010 CD THE GIFT - KERYX
2010 CD LOVE IS - ASKIM SOUL CHILDREN
2009 CD COME ON REJOICE
2009 CD MED ANDRE ORD - JANNIKE KRUSE
2009 CD ROCKWAVES - HERCULES
2009 CD JULEØNSKER - SUPERBARNA
2009 CD SUPERNOVA - SUPERBARNA
2009 CD PÅ LAG - TEAM BÅT
2008 CD FREEWAY - KITCH AND SINK BAND
2008 CD STORE DRØMMER - DIFFERENT COLOUR
2008 CD JUSTIFIED - ANDREAS MELAND
2008 CD YONDER - ROGER HELMERS
2008 CD IN MY ROOM - JANNE SKULAND
2008 CD ORGANIC OCEAN - KNUT BJØRNAR ASPHOL (A'SPOOL)
2008 CD IN THE SLIPSTREAM VOL. 1 - HEROES & ZEROS
2007 CD PROPHET DENY - POSTSCRIPTUM
2007 CD THE GREATEST LOVE - MONICA KILVÆR
2007 CD DEDICATION - VIBRO KINGS
2007 CD UBEGRENSET - OKS
2007 CD SHOUT - OSLO SOUL CHILDREN
2006 CD KIRKEGATA - IVAR SKIPPERVOLD
2006 CD SKIPPERGATA - IVAR SKIPPERVOLD
2006 CD PIKEN MED FYRSTIKKENE - IVAR SKIPPERVOLD
2006 CD LIVSGLEDE 2 - OSLO SOUL CHILDREN
2006 CD 7 DAYS AND A MIRACLE
2006 CD DID - EVEN KERN
2006 CD ABOVE - MONICA STRAND
2005 CD HIGHEST OF THE HIGH - UNGFILA
2005 EP PREPOST - POSTSCRIPTUM
2005 CD BEAUTIFUL GIRL - JOHANNE VIE
2005 CD JULESTJERNE - OSLO SOUL CHILDREN
2005 CD GLORY LIVE OSLO SPEKTRUM - DIVERSE ARTISTER
2004 CD GLIMT AV EVIGHET - VUK
2004 CD TODAY - UNGFILA
2004 CD JUMP - OSLO SOUL CHILDREN
2004 CD JUBILEUM - GJERDRUM MUSIKKSKOLE
2003 CD JULESTJERNE - OSLO SOUL CHILDREN
2003 CD MELODI GRAND PRIX
2002 CD DEILIGE DESEMBER - HANS INGE FAGERVIK
2002 CD SHINE - OSLO SOUL CHILDREN
2001 CD LIVSGLEDE - OSLO SOUL CHILDREN
2001 EP GORM SCHEI - GORM SCHEI
2000 CD SANGER FRA BEDEHUSLAND 5
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