Press

Husebø has found himself a distinctive electro-acoustic niche which lies somewhere between the worlds of jazz, ambient, classical and improvised musics

Piano Transformed – Interspace (2025)

Kary Persson, Jazzporten:
“He may not be the most well-known Norwegian musician, but he is undoubtedly one of the most exciting. Just recently, he released a double CD that will definitely be on my end-of-year list. Piano Transformed – Interspace is nothing short of a dazzlingly beautiful masterpiece. Ten out of ten.”

Chris Monsen, Klassekampen:
“With Piano Transformed — Interspace, Kjetil Husebø’s years-long exploration of the piano’s sonic potential culminates in a double album that ranges from the pleasant to the unsettling, from meditative to fierce — but above all, it is fascinating.”

Monica Gullini, Off the Topic:
“An innovative and unsettling interstellar journey, once again stunning with its fusion of styles. Here, classical and modern, sacred and profane, past and present coexist. His Steinway paints cold backgrounds and warm palettes, weaving through electronics and haunting noise. It’s an ambitious work revealing great sensitivity and mastery. Everything unfolds with precision, yet feels innate and spontaneous. Being and obligation engage in perfect dialogue, balancing rawness with formal structure.”

Fred Grand, Jazzjournal:
“With an uncanny ability to sense the inner workings of his instrument, sounds that might otherwise remain hidden are drawn out, amplified, and woven into richly textured soundscapes. (…) The real magic lies in Husebø’s mastery of re-composition. If you enjoyed Jon Balke’s Skrifum or Alva Noto’s work with Ryuichi Sakamoto, Piano Transformed – Interspace is essential listening.”

Audun Vinger, Jazznytt:
“Husebø is certainly not alone in expanding the possibilities of the 88 keys — but he does it in a way no one else does. Perhaps it could be called sensual intellectualism — music that makes you perk up your ears and lean back at the same time.”

Eyal Hareuveni, Salt Peanuts:
“Husebø extends the natural palette of the grand piano with live sampling and subtle electronics, crafting abstract, minimalist soundscapes and fleeting melodic motifs. On Piano Transformed – Interspace, he also experiments with more challenging, provocative textures.”

Emerging Narratives (2024)

Lars Mossefinn, Dag og Tid:
“Husebø, Henriksen, and Aarset have created one of the finest film music albums ever made.”

Monica Gullini, Off the Topic:
“Emerging Narratives — Kjetil Husebø couldn’t have chosen a better title. One of Scandinavia’s most innovative artists. (…) If the future holds chapters as brilliant and alien as this, I hope to hear them again in preview. Allow yourself to fall under its dark and disturbing spell — the most precious and sincere gift you can give yourself.”

Fred Grand, Jazzjournal:
“A serious work that brings fresh sophistication to the ever-popular field of ambient Nordic electro-jazz.”

Groove Magazin:
“Emerging Narratives showcases the expansive possibilities of Norwegian jazz — where it can sound like ambient, drone, house, or neoclassical without appealing to mainstream tastes. Husebø, a prolific figure in this creative scene, collaborates with Eivind Aarset and Arve Henriksen, each lending their signature sound to this introspective, sound-obsessed, and melancholic album. The clichés fall away.”

FAZE Mag:
“A true spectacle that challenges and soothes, yet never leaves the listener indifferent. Emerging Narratives confirms Husebø’s place as an innovative genre-crosser, crafting complex yet accessible narratives.”

Jazzthetik:
“Between the romantic, mysterious, ominous, and bizarre — there’s a touch of ambient running through all eight tracks. (…) An audio journey with rich imaginative potential.”

Stereo:
“Husebø’s compositions are layered and eventful. Synths, electronics, and samples blend with Aarset’s and Henriksen’s avant-garde jazz input. Tracks like Reveries in Flow and Tradition Reimagined shimmer with depth, while Nohtronicaevokes a futuristic Indonesian gamelan variation.”

Salt Peanuts:
“The trio works seamlessly across the album. Husebø lays strong foundations, Henriksen shines, and Aarset drifts calmly above and below. Despite physical distance and distinct working styles, this collaboration feels cohesive, deep, and organic.”

The Slow Music Movement:
“Husebø plots a deep-space cinematic journey — from gravity-free floaters to tense alien encounters and planetary dockings. His electronic work alone would sell the LP, but Arve Henriksen’s ambient trumpet seals the deal. A sweeping ambient narrative — highly recommended.”

Years of Ambiguity (2023)

Fred Grand, Jazzjournal:
“Husebø has firmly established a distinctive electro-acoustic niche — somewhere between jazz, ambient, classical, and improvised music. (…) Husebø’s skillful mixing complements his clear talent as a composer and improviser. The decidedly post-Punkt stylings of Years of Ambiguity offer further compelling evidence of the great depth of talent within Norway’s cutting edge.”

Arild R. Andersen, Aftenposten:
“If you dive into Husebø’s music, you’ll find it teeming with life. (…) Having followed his music for years, I’m not surprised by what he accomplishes on Years of Ambiguity. He combines maturity with creativity in an exceptionally strong way.”

Tor Hammerø, Nettavisen:
“Years of Ambiguity has become Husebø’s most important and powerful musical statement to date.”

Groove:
“He takes jazz in its most refined form and, through processing, sets it in motion until it transforms into delicate ambient music — without losing its instrumental quality. (…) It’s this shared commitment to serving the overall sound, rather than individual display, that makes this album more than outstanding.”

Jazzenzo:
“Years of Ambiguity is an album full of contrasts: grand yet subtle, dark yet light. (…) The music has a dramatic, cinematic quality full of interesting details. (…) A listening experience from which you emerge deeply reflective.”

Komeda:
“The album balances minimalism and maximalism in a multidimensional fashion. (…) It merges jazz, folk, and classical elements atop a foundation of electronic space. (…) Like an electronic symphonic poem — grand yet delicate.”

Sequential Stream (with Arve Henriksen, 2022)

Boomkat:
“An absolute stunner from Arve Henriksen & Kjetil Husebø — one of the best we’ve heard this year. Like a fever-dream comedown, it moves from richly textured fourth-world topographies to electric ambience and fluttering prepared piano. (…) A transcendent deep-dream jazz fantasy, much more than the sum of its parts.”

Arild R. Andersen, Jazzinorge.no:
“The music has depth, layers, and strong mood shifts that shape its character. It can be hypnotic at its best — which it often is. What surprises and impresses is how Henriksen and Husebø manage to make their familiar styles feel fresh and revelatory.”

Stereopluss:
“A thrilling, challenging, and immensely rewarding release.”

Utility Fog:
“A striking fusion of musicianship and technology at every level — and a remarkable pairing of two artists who’ve long admired each other.”

The Slow Music Movement:
“One of 2022’s finest.”

Eyal Hareuveni, Salt Peanuts:
“Henriksen and Husebø’s patient and balanced dynamics feel organic, as if they’ve played together for years. (…) The album ends beautifully with the aptly titled Serendipity, already calling for more.”

Geir Rakvaag, Dagsavisen:
“The music is both beautiful and unusual.”

Lira Musikmagasin:
“The fact that they would one day make an album together now feels inevitable. (…) The record carries a slightly brighter mood than many of Henriksen’s others — a hopeful prayer from the dark pandemic era.”

Jazzism:
“This is a record that stimulates the senses. Avant-garde and abstract elements shift between dreamy trumpet and synth lines. Tracks like Sonic Binoculars and Serendipity feel cinematic, while Seeding unveils Henriksen’s Eastern tones. Listen with headphones — a new dimension awakens.”

Live at Nasjonal Jazzscene (2020)

Tor Hammerø, Nettavisen:
“Husebø draws inspiration from jazz, contemporary, ambient, and classical music — creating a brew uniquely his own. His use of live electronics and sampling adds fascinating dimensions. Demanding, both for performer and listener — but deeply rewarding for those willing to explore.”

Eyal Hareuveni, Salt Peanuts:
“This live recording reveals Husebø’s vast sonic range. From experimental ambience to melodic Nordic jazz and percussive piano patterns dueling with electronic abstraction — the performance unfolds like a long, continuous suite. The final part is more reserved, allowing electronics to gently envelop the minimalist, somber theme. The piano becomes a vivid, evolving sonic entity.”

Piano Transformed (2017)

Lars Mossefinn, Dag og Tid:
“Kjetil Husebø is a rare flower in Norwegian music. (…) This is undoubtedly his finest album to date.”

Arild R. Andersen, Jazzinorge.no:
“Contemporary grand piano music. The album’s cohesive quality graces every sonic space. (…) Husebø conveys a wide emotional range with both heart and mind. The music grows richer with each listen.”

Roald Helgheim, Dagsavisen:
“The piano and technology exist in symbiosis, the acoustic lifted into a higher unity with electronics. A vast universe unfolds beyond the solo playing. The key word: if you’re in — hang on!”

Eyal Hareuveni, Salt Peanuts:
“A work that raises more questions than it answers — a sonic installation refusing fixed terrain. Much like Brian Eno’s recent ambient explorations.”

Tore Stavlund, Platespillern:
“Piano Transformed engages without alienation. The piano sings — no meta-layer, no over-intellectualizing. It communicates with the ear and heart. Beautiful, shimmering music, filled with romantic fragments and dark undertones.”

Klaus Halama, Sound & Image.de:
“Husebø consistently proves himself a thoughtful performer who carefully shapes a coherent whole.”

Bo Bjelvehammar, Tidningen Kulturen:
“Unpredictable, liberating to listen to — wonderful to be surprised with open ears and wide eyes.”

Jon Arnesen, Musikkopplevelsen:
“Playful and genre-defying. Sometimes, there’s a groove hidden in the silence. A tension field between presence and absence — like playing hide and seek.”

Magne Fonn Hafskor, Bergensmagasinet:
“The crystal-clear recording, Husebø’s playing, and his use of effects all contribute to a rich sonic experience. Five out of six stars.”

Tor Hammerø, Tor De Jazz:
“Husebø, as pianist, composer, live electronics performer, and sampler, masterfully unites all three ‘instruments’ across nine tracks.”

Martin Raybould, Whisperinandhollerin:
“The blend of acoustic and processed sound fragments traditional piano music — as if to intentionally sabotage its elegance.”

Steps (2015)

Eyal Hareuveni, All About Jazz:
“His playing is contemplative and reserved, often quiet and meditative — sometimes even simple and innocent, like folk songs — always grounded in strong emotion. (…) He blurs the lines between chamber jazz, contemporary music, and Nordic folk.”

Stephen Graham, Marlbank:
“You can virtually hear the pianist think. (…) Husebø has a unique sound in his head — and that’s remarkable.”

Peter Sjöblom, Tidningen Kulturen:
“Listening is like walking through a forest — each tree gradually reveals its own character. (…) Steps is his best album under his own name so far — perhaps the beginning of something new.”

Klaus Halama, Sound & Image:
“Meticulously composed runs combined with sublime rhythmic ease. It hardly gets better than this.”

Lennarrrt Olausson, Lira Musikmagasin:
“With gentle trickling passages and doomy rumblings, Steps leans towards the classical. But it’s more like a jazz stream bubbling among mossy stones in a lush forest — somewhere between Lubomyr Melnyk and Nils Frahm.”

Tor Hammerø, Tor De Jazz:
“Husebø is clearly an artist with something compelling to say — and with Steps, he takes exactly that: new steps.”

Kieron Tyler, The Arts Desk:
“With Steps, Husebø — more often associated with electronica — has created a solo piano album rooted in serialism and systems music. It’s neither jazz nor classical, but could be both.”

Johan Hauknes, Salt Peanuts:
“There’s something magical about combining Rainbow Studio, Jan Erik Kongshaug, a skilled pianist, and a Steinway grand. (…) A small gem of an album — who can follow Husebø?”

Morphing Between Spaces and Phases (2014)

Peter Sjöblom, Tidningen Kulturen:
“The album has an artistic weight most genre amateurs can only dream of. (…) None of Husebø’s previous releases had this kind of gravitational pull. Morphing Between Spaces and Phases is an exclamation mark in the catalog.”

Eyal Hareuveni, All About Jazz:
“Weird, disturbing, yet completely arresting sonic experience.”

Tor Hammerø:
“Skyggespill creates a sonic world entirely his own — deserving recognition for both courage and creativity.”

Ruben Olsen Lærk, Dave’s Place:
“This album clearly shows that Kjetil is not only a wizard with the piano, but also a grand master of electronic music.”

Sources (2013)

Eyal Hareuveni, All About Jazz:
“Norwegian pianist and live sampling master Kjetil Husebø continues to develop his highly personal sonic language. (…) He redefines how we listen to the piano.”

Roald Helgheim, Dagsavisen:
“Big, powerful sound when Husebø lets the grand piano soar on tracks like Festina lente and Breather. (…) A solid landing for yet another solo album.”

Ingo J. Biermann, Nordische Musik:
“Though Sources is a solo piano album, the improvisations recorded with Audun Kleive combine electronics and acoustics in an innovative way — going deeper than Wesseltoft/Schwarz or Molvær/von Oswald.”

Stephan Meidell, Bergens Tidende:
“Especially the combination of keys and electronics in the early parts of the album fascinates — a sign Husebø is on to something truly fresh.”

Lennarrrt Olausson, Lira Musikmagasin:
“Sources is a very interesting record, revealing new sounds with each listen — both delightful and strange.”

Contradictions (2012)

Eyal Hareuveni, All About Jazz:
“The success of this album lies in the cumulative effect of its disarming, innocent, and deeply melodic ambiance — it lingers long after the music ends. (…) An intriguing musical journey.”

Tor Hammerø, Side 2:
“Kjetil has developed a highly personal and exciting style — mostly acoustic, but with electronic contributions and sampling. (…) The scope of his improvisation is vast.”

Ingo J. Biermann, Nordische Musik:
“What first appears as a typical solo piano album reveals itself, on closer listen, as improvisational art delicately enhanced with live electronics and sampling — a dialogue between abstract personal electronics and fragmented piano melodies. This release clearly surpasses comparable duo albums by Wesseltoft/Schwarz and Molvær/von Oswald.”

Adaptation (2010)

Per A. Risnes JR, Dagens Næringsliv:
“Minimalist and funky jazz electronica, like virgin powder snow on a mountainside. (…) Adaptation is one of the most unfairly overlooked albums of the year — no doubt about it.”

Live at Nasjonal Jazzscene (2020), press text:

Kjetil Husebø – Live at Nasjonal Jazzscene (english)

Kjetil Husebø – Live at Nasjonal Jazzscene (norsk)

High resolution covert art – Live at Nasjonal Jazzscene

Piano Transformed (2017), press text:

kjetil-husebo-piano-transformed-english

kjetil-husebo-piano-transformed-norsk

High resolution cover art- Piano Transformed

Steps (2015), press text:

Kjetil Husebø – Steps – English

Kjetil Husebø – Steps – Norsk

High resolution cover art – Steps