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Verdensrommet consists of the two 22-year olds Andreas Høvset and Vetle Junker, who met in fifth grade in their hometown, Skien, and Lars Berntsen, Martin Gowland, Vetle Vongraven and Tom Crozier. The band released their first single quickly after the band formed in 2012 – “Sidelengs/Nytt”, which received rave reviews from all over the world – as evident in its placement on Drowned in Sound’s Singles of the Year 2012-list. In the following two years, Verdensrommet released more music, toured Norway, supported Sondre Lerche, Razika, Young Dreams and Bear in Heaven, and played Slottsfjell, Hove, Sørveiv and by:Larm.
In 2014 Verdensrommet decided to take a break from touring, and started working on their debut album. Within February, the rough drafts had been recorded, and Andreas and Vetle spent the rest of the year finishing the ten songs that now are to be released as a self-titled album. All of the writing, recording and producing have been done by the band itself, driven by a fascination for the DIY-movement in music. The result is an innovative and sometimes challenging album, hard to define in terms of genres – even though elements from hip hop ala Nas and Big L, jazz ala James Moody and Chet Baker and indie rock ala Arctic Monkeys and Mac DeMarco can be heard in the tracks.
The first single from the album, “Skien”, came out April 24th on Nabovarsel Bergen, and wasn’t originally intended as a ‘serious’ song (there’s a music video to the demo somewhere on the internet, containing synchronized dancing, cointreau and fireworks). However, Andreas convinced Vetle that they would try to do something with the track, and “Skien” was born.
“The song is really about how nice it is to be a carefree teenager, believing you know it all when you don’t, and how you’re always having that urge to explore everything.” Andreas has written about his life in his hometown, Skien, while Chris Holm (Young Dreams, Bloody Beach) has written about his – in Bergen, on the other side of Norway. 18 vs 30, in a way.
The lyrics, on “Skien” and on the album in general, are very informal and have a kind of stream of consciousness-feel to them. That it all seems like a diary is quite fitting, actually – some of the songs only have numbers or dates as titles.
The album also features acclaimed rappers Lars Vaular and Verk, on “7. september” and “Jeg skjønner ikke hvorfor jeg føler meg bra” respectively. On August 7th, the second single, “11”, of the album is released, in an EP that includes remixes from, amongst others, Niilas and FakeThias.
“Verdensrommet”, Verdensrommet’s debut album, is out August 21st on Nabovarsel Bergen.
Verdensrommet is also currently recording an EP, which is set to be released January 2016.
The Blog Love:
“[…]”Skien” goes down fairly smooth, it’s easy listening vibe felt even if you don’t necessarily understand Norwegian. It’s melodies are simple but memorable, and it’s production interesting in both its steadily increasing drum use and its casual glide into a full on chamber pop jam to make the language barrier pretty much nonexistent.[…]” – all-aroundsound.blogspot.com: http://all-aroundsound.blogspot.no/2015/04/listen-verdensrommet-skien-ft-chris-holm.html
“[…]“Nytt” is a beautifully realized piece of pop, with sweet guitars and an evocative, lowsung croon that takes equal influence from Animal Collective and The Smiths (with a dash of Phil Spector’s string arrangements). For two teenagers singing in Norwegian, “Nytt” is remarkably universal […]” Refinery29.com: http://www.refinery29.com/verdensrommetnytt
“[…]means “outer space” and they make cosmic pop that stations Brian Wilson somewhere on the other side of Jupiter.[…]” The Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2013/mar/15/bergennorwaynewmusicscene
“[…]if ‘My Girls’ was simultaneously a) sung as a torch song; b) sung under a spotlight; c) not a paean to homesteads / domestic bliss and d) more about secret, regretful snogs. Absolutely charming, either way.” Drowned In Sound: http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4145304