Foto: Anne-Marie Forker

Tromsø duo (originally a trio) and electronic pioneers Bel Canto returned to Oslo to play Rockefeller, having released their latest album "RadiantGreen” earlier this year.

Beginning with the enchanting “White Out Conditions” from their debut album, it doesn’t take the band long to play a new “Radiant Green” song, “Grass Mint Crisp”. The set contains a good mix of material from most of their genre-crossing albums, ranging from ethereal dream pop to synth-based pop, with elements of world, folk and classical music. Drecker in an expressive frontwoman who sings not only at the front but also the back of the stage. An early highlight comes with "Birds", and the energy in the room picks up as the crowd clap and dance along with the percussion. The end of "Sun" is particularly powerful, with just the sound of Drecker's high voice and Nils Johansen's violin. Multi-instrumentalist Johansen (synthesizer, violin, bass guitar, guitar) impressively changes instruments throughout the concert, seemingly without a hitch. His acoustic guitar tones during "Summer" were warm and rich. There was more acoustic guitar on a stripped down version of "Spiderdust", at the end of which Johansen jumped off the back of the stage. 




The infectious rhythms of "Bombay" lifted that atmosphere to another level, which was surpassed for the breakthrough 1992 hit "Shimmering, Warm & Bright". The driving power of the drums provided an intense back beat to the keyboards, guitar and vocals. It would have been a suitable end to the main set, but there was more to come with "Unicorn", where Drecker spun around on the stage as the crowd encouraged her with cheers. 

Having barely left the stage before the encore, the haunting vocals of "The Suffering" filled the venue and calmed the room, before Johansen and Drecker sang together at the intro of “Rush”. The synth, backing vocals and Johansen's electric guitar textures gradually built to a climax. The band closed with the ethereal "Time Without End". It is remarkable how time has not taken its toll on Drecker's beautiful voice.