Hubro Andreas Stensland Løwe (p, synth), Jo Berger Myhre (b), Andreas Lønmo Knudsrød (d), Mari Kvien Brunvoll (v), Juhani Silvola (el g), Erik Johannesen (tb), Martin Taxt (tba) and Lasse Passage Nosted (tapes). Rec. date not stated

With a name that could as easily serve some generic pop or rock collective this Norwegian trio’s aesthetic sleight of hand continues its leftward trajectory away from their artful Paul Bley-inspired beginnings into darker drone-led territory. At their core Splashgirl resemble a typical piano trio led by Løwe’s glacial chord work, but is very much a three way conversation with Myhre’s urgently bowed bass and Knudsrød’s broiling percussive attack occupying equal amounts of dark sonic terrain. However what makes Pressure such a triumphant artistic exercise is the band’s use of the studio and its subtle overdubbing possibilities taken up here from the menacing blues gait of opener ‘Devata’ by guest guitarist Juhani Silvola who permeates the album with many acid-fried twangs.

It’s also the presence of Earth/Sun O))) producer Randall Dunn on the mixing duties that indelibly lends the album a lot less light and a lot more shade. So by the time the epic closing title-track’s screeching cymbal scrapes, inner piano string whines and wheezing bass strings finally coalesce into Løwe’s cathartic, lush, chugging piano riff, does the massive musical tension evaporate. It’s then you realise just how deep Splashgirl have drawn you into the murky depths of their watery sound world.

Mike Flynn