The Squid's Ear Magazine


Larsen, Stian / Colin Webster / Ruth Goller / Andrew Lisle : Temple of Muses (Relative Pitch)

Norwegian guitarist Stian Larsen joins UK musicians Colin Webster on alto sax, Ruth Goller on bass, and Andrew Lisle on drums in a high-energy fusion of free jazz, post-rock, and noise, weaving dynamic improvisation that moves from sparse textures to explosive climaxes, embracing ecstatic intensity, cathartic interplay, and expansive creative exploration.
 

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product information:

Personnel:



Stian Larsen-guitar

Colin Webster-alto saxophone

Ruth Goller-bass

Andrew Lisle-drums


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UPC: 5904224873325

Label: Relative Pitch
Catalog ID: RPR1193
Squidco Product Code: 35634

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2025
Country: USA
Packaging: Cardboard Gatefold
Recorded at Snorkel Studios, in London, UK, on April 21st, 2022, by Frank Byng.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"Norwegian guitarist Stian Larsen joins London-based musicians Colin Webster (alto sax), Andrew Lisle (drums), and Ruth Goller (bass) for an exciting collision of energetic free jazz, post-rock and noise that is dynamic, playful and hard-hitting."-Relative Pitch



"Norwegian guitarist Stian Larsen is known as an energetic and highly inventive improviser in the local free, genre-defying scene. He has collaborated before with British alto sax player Colin Webster (in the KTHXBYE trio, with Norwegian drummer Brage Tørmænen, released by Webster's label, Raw Tonk, 2016) and in a trio with Webster and drummer Andrew Lisle (Zeal And Perseverance and Problem Of Absolute, 2019 and 2021, released by Larsen's Va Fongool). Webster and Lisle collaborated on countless projects, including four duo albums.

Temple of Muses adds to the trio of Larsen, Webster, and Lisle, Italian, London-based electric bassist Ruth Goller, and the album was recorded at Snorkel Studios in London in April 2022. Goller has not recorded before with the three improvisers.

The album is titled after the 20-minute centerpiece that altered the high-energy dynamics into a more patient and sparse one, but eventually reaching a hard-hitting and playful climax. But it still captures the ecstatic essence of the quartet - raw and immediate, fast and brutal sonic collisions that blur the distinction between Webster and Lisle'as fiery and soulful free jazz, Larsen's noise guitar, and Goller's post-rock. Goller integrates organically into this kind of fearless and intense dynamics that find liberation in exciting, cathartic terrains. The album ends with "Vivid Aspects" which begins, again, with a sparse, slow-cooking interplay that introduces some of the extended techniques of the four improvisers but aims for similar merciless, volcanic collision. Looking forward to the evolution of this great quartet."-Eyal Hareuveni, Salt Peanuts


Get additional information at Salt Peanuts

Artist Biographies

"Stian Larsen (b 1983) from Asker (in Akershus County, Norway), lives and works as a guitarist in Oslo.

He graduated the State Academy of Music in Oslo under teacher Jon Eberson, and earned his bachelors degree in 2009.

He released his first record with the duo kÖök (feat. fellow guitarist Jørn Erik Ahlsen) in 2012 on British label FMR and they have since then released five albums.

Smith Komma John is his power trio with Adrian Myhr and Tore Sandbakken with their debut album released on Norwegian label Jazzland."

-Stian Larsen Website (https://stianlarsen.no/about)
2/12/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

Colin Webster is an improvising saxophonist based in London. He is a frequent collaborator with Mark Holub, Graham Dunning, Andrew Lisle, John Dikeman, &c.

-Squidco 2/12/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Ruth Goller (originally from Bressanone-Italy) is based in London and plays electric and double bass.! After studying music in the UK ('The London Music School" and BA Jazz at Middlesex University), she now performs regularly with leading UK bands, such as Acoustic Ladyland, Melt Yourself Down, Andreya Triana, Oriole, Pat Walden, World Sanguine Report, The Golden Age of Steam, Bug Prentice, The Sefiroth Ensemble, Kamao Quintett, The Moss Project, Let Spin, Gufo and many more.

Outside the UK, Ruth toured and worked with Malien singer Rokia Traore, renowned Serbian pianist and composer Bojan Z, Iranian Sufi- master and musician Davood Azad, Somali singer AarManta and Mim Suleiman!

Ruth is very active in the London Music scene and her interest in musical variety is vast (from improvised music, Jazz, Punk, Rock, Hip- Hop, Reggae, electronic music, traditional Balkan music, to Brazilian and African music). She also has been writing monthly columns for the Bass Guitar Magazine and teaches electric bass at Kent University."

-Ruth Goller Website (http://ruthgoller.com/files/ruthgoller_biog.pdf)
2/12/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"Andrew Lisle is a drummer from Northumberland, UK, currently based in London. In 2008 he began studying Jazz at Leeds College of Music and soon discovered a passion and talent for free improvisation. It was during his time at LCoM that he co-founded the band Shatner's Bassoon with five like-minded musicians (and fellow graduates) Johnny Richards, Michael Bardon, Oliver Dover, Craig Scott and Joost Hendrickx. To date the band have recorded two studio albums (receiving wide-spread critical acclaim) and have toured the UK extensively.

After graduating in 2011 he moved to Lisbon, Portugal where he had the opportunity to further develop his musicianship. He spent much of his time at the Clean Feed Records' base of operations Trem Azul playing with the city's veteran improvisers including Rodrigo Pinheiro (Red Trio), Hernani Faustino (Red Trio), Rodrigo Amado and Luis Lopes among others.

Since moving to London in 2013 his virtuosity and musicality has established him as a sought-after drummer on the Jazz and improvised music scene, performing and recording with some of the most innovative musicians in the UK and beyond. These include Colin Webster, John Edwards, John Dikeman, Alex Ward, Dirk Serries, Alan Wilkinson, Matthew Bourne, Rachel Musson and Mark Sanders.

On-going projects to date include: Orbits, Kodian trio, Colin Webster/Andrew Lisle, ​Ales Ward Item 10, Dikeman/Lisle/Serries/Webster to name a few."

-Andrew Lisle Website (http://www.andrewlisle.com/biography.html)
2/12/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. Haunt Of Crows 2:25

2. Kingdom Of Saliva And Dust 8:47

3. Temple Of Muses 20:22

4. Refrain From Dreaming 2:27

5. Oracle Of The Dead 4:51

6. Vivid Aspects 9:40

Related Categories of Interest:


Improvised Music
Jazz
Free Improvisation
London & UK Improv & Related Scenes
Quartet Recordings
Staff Picks & Recommended Items
New in Improvised Music
Recent Releases and Best Sellers

Search for other titles on the label:
Relative Pitch.


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