Trøbbel by Bjørn Torske

Smalltown Supersound is proud to announce that it is re-issuing the Holy Grail of Norwegian dance music, the first two albums by reclusive cult innovator from beyond the Arctic Circle Bjørn Torske. With the Norwegian disco movement having given birth to many international dance stars, now is a perfect time to go back and re-evaluate these brilliant records, that provided the inspiration for a wave of producers in their wake. With all of Torske's album discography now with their natural home Smalltown Supersound, the label can finally feel complete.

Debut album “Nedi Myra” was first released on UK label Ferox and his second album “Trøbbel” originally came out on Telle Records. They have been out print for many years and have not been distributed on any digital streaming sites. Now lovingly re-mastered by Helmut Erler at Dubplates & Mastering, for the first time Bjørn feels that they sound as he intended them to sound.

Together with the late Tore “Erot” Kroknes, Bjørn laid the foundation for the disco scene in Norway that gave birth to Prins Thomas, Lindstrom, Andre Bratten and Todd Terje. Inspired by DJ Harvey, Ron Hardy and Idjut Boys, Bjorn Torske and Erot brought underground disco and house/techno (Chicago/Detroit style) to the country, developing their very own style of tripped out dubby disco with their characteristic weird, humorous and psychedelic twists along the way. With Torske as with many auteurs, he hasn’t always got the attention and credit he deserved. He is known for being reclusive, and an outsider, making music on his own terms and not playing by the rules of the record business. All of which has made him the musician’s musician.

Torske’s debut album under his own name was “Nedi Myra” in 1998 on UK label Ferox. After that he released a string of singles with Svek label, among them the seminal “Jeg vil være søppelmann”. That translates to “I Want To Be A Binman” in English, which shows who set the tone for Norwegian disco’s particular sense of humour. Also on Svek was the single “Sexy Disco”; cited by Todd Terje as “the first time I listened to disco in a non-ironic way”. "Trøbbel" was released in 2001 and in 2005 he signed to Smalltown Supersound and released the two 12” singles “Kokt Kveite” and “Ny Lugg/Kort bak lang på siden” and the albums “Feil Knapp” (2007) and “Kokning” (2009). In 2010 he released “Oppkok” 12” which was remixed by DJ Harvey and Todd Terje, and last year the “Kok” EP with additional material from the “Kokning” album sessions. Get to know the production genius of Norwegian disco’s original Wilderness man.

Norwegian house and techno producer Bjørn Torske started experimenting with electronic music in the late '80s in his hometown of Tromsø. As a teenager he was inspired by other Tromsø musicians, especially Geir Jenssen, the musical prodigy later to be known as ambient pioneer Biosphere. Torske started releasing minimalist techno in the beginning of the '90s, primarily under the name of Ismistik.