Among the recent wave of cosmic-synth producers, nobody does it quite like the Norwegians. While others adhere to a strictly “Italo-Disco” interpretation, Scandinavian producers are notorious for injecting tripped-out acid grooves into their tracks, crafting songs that work well almost anywhere, be it a posh lounge, exclusive club or dirty dance floor. Over the past decade, Norway has emerged as an undeniable hotbed of talent, a scene spearheaded by Hans-Peter Lindstrøm and Prins Thomas. To the relatively uninitiated, these two names represent all one needs to know about Scandinavian electronic music. Well, that’s about to change. Enter Daniel “Blackbelt” Anderson, the next name you need to know when it comes to Norwegian disco revival.
Daniel “Blackbelt” Andersen
Andersen started producing tracks back in the mid-nineties, using his father’s computer to make electronic music that closely imitated hip-hop and Detroit techno. After only a few years of amateur producing, one of Andersen’s tracks first saw radio play in Norway in 1997, although he wouldn’t officially release any music until 2001. Since then, the young producer has released a series of singles and 12-inches across several labels and under several different monikers, as both Daniel Andersen and as 1/3 of Kalle Magnus & Daniel (which he formed with friends Kalle Sandås and Magnus “International” Sheehan). So though Andersen has been around Norway’s dance scene since it first lit up the global radar, he’s remained one of the country’s best kept secrets. Don’t expect it to stay that way; upon the release of his self-titled debut last March, Andersen received positive reviews across the board from around the world. Given the amount of buzz he’s created, don’t be surprised if from now on you see Andersen’s name alongside other Scandinavian heavyweights such as the aforementioned Lindstrøm, Todd Terje, Dolle Jolle, and the seemingly infallible Prins Thomas (who co-produced his debut LP and released it on his label, Full Pupp).
Even among his accomplished contemporaries, Andersen’s productions stand apart. His deceptively simple tracks succeed thanks to a healthy influx of Samba-inspired percussion stirred into a familiar mix of vintage synthesizers and classic Detroit melodies. On Blackbelt Andersen, the cosmic cowboy adheres to a strict mid-tempo disco template with stabs of techno and Brazillian influences thrown in throughout. On the album-opening track “Lordag Del 1,” Blackbelt Andersen begins somewhere out amongst the endless reaches of the universe among a mishmash of rhythmic lasers, blasting over a series of slowly warming ambient pallets. Tracks like the 10-minute “Kuk Av Stal” show Andersen’s expert control of pressure and release; the laid back retro-synthesizer beat is given a shot to the heart thanks to the driving rhythm of hand-played drums. Like a sobering blast of gravity, these drums are what really make these vast, star-trailing tracks so inescapably good. It’s a refreshingly take on the modern cosmic sound, a technique that links Andersen’s style to such proto-disco staples like the original “Soul Makossa.” No wonder his work has been likened to a mash-up of Juan Atkins, Gorgio Moroder, and early Levan. Heavy praise indeed, but he didn’t take the name “Blackbelt” without good reason. Just give the undeniably catchy “Sandoz,” a listen and you’ll understand what we mean.
If Blackbelt Andersen is any indication of Norway’s new wave of producers, we’re only just beginning to see the rise of Scandinavian Disco dominance. In 2010, Andersen plans to release a slew of new remixes, many of which can already be found online. Through his mastery of weaving disco, samba, and Detroit together into one cohesive sound, Andersen firmly establishes himself as cosmic force to be reckoned with.
