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BT
Sommerfenomen
Nu-jazz m�ter nu-soul og retro elektronika p� badestranden
Om du har en ting for chillout-samleplater, er det gode sjanser for at du har truffet p� Fenomenon f�r. Duoen fra Stavanger har sluppet to EP'er p� Nuphonic, og disse l�tene har fortjent g�tt sin seiersgang p� alle mulige samlere. P� debutalbumet viser Kjetil Ingebretsen og H�vard Rosenberg at de fremdeles er menn for sine keyboards. "Hourglass" er smektende break-soul fra ende til annen, med s� h�y retrofaktor at de til og med har laget en coverversjon av Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". Til tider kan det minne om Erlend �yes "Unrest"-album, med melankolsk vokal og old school-produksjon. Thomas Dybdahl synger p� sommersingelen "Trouble Takes Flight", men ellers klarer duoen seg fint med egen vokal, som p� "Lucy Said" og "Daytime TV". Det er lov � h�pe at Fenomenon kan ta over stafettpinnen fra labelkompisen Flunk n�r det gjelder sommerchill. For dette er myk elektronika, soul, b�lgeskvulp og retrolyder som kan smelte �rene til den mest blaserte Quart-gjenger.
(5/6) Walter N. Wehus

Rogalands Avis
Sofistikert pop p� en elektronisk grunnmur. Og en reise i tid og lyd. Er det ikke det som er debutalbumet til Fenomenon, da?
Elektronikaduoen fra Stavanger er endelig ute med sin f�rste fullengder. Ambisjonen har v�rt � lage beats-basert musikk som b�de er dansbar og lyttbar. Og resultatet er faktisk et proft, solid og helhetlig album av sm� elektronikahits ladet med 80-talls-pop og massevis av funky elementer fra de svarte sjangrene. Det er ikke lett tilgjengelig listepop, dette her, men et seri�st og gjennomarbeidet album bygd p� sterke stemninger. Som kunne v�rt filmmusikk. Eller klinel�ter for sommerferiekveldene.
Du f�r et par glade hits i "Time" og "Lucy Said". S� har du den dr�mmedrivende "Space Continuum", som svitsjer innom amerikansk detektime. Og den s�re chilloutavslutningen "Sleepy Meadows Of Buxton", da, der nye dr�mmer m�ter gammel granskogjazz.
Kjetil Ingebretsen framst�r for �vrig som en harmonisk � og sm�slesk! � vokalist med god kontroll, og popprinsen Thomas Dybdahl dukker opp som gjestevokalist p� et spor.
Peter Buflod Rydje

Dagbladet 
Sl�ye, sl�ye siddiser. 
Du har kanskje sett navnet deres i forbifarten p� noen "litt-nede"-samlere hvor s�nne kontinentale beatshuer alltid dukker opp. Stavangers H�vard Rosenberg og Kjetil Ingebretsen var nemlig en norsk klubbhype p� engelske Nuphonic for det som virker veldig lenge siden. To tolvere fra henholdsvis 2000 og 2002 gjorde dem til en viss grad bemerket i flippskjeggete milj�er i Europa, og samme gjeng (noen igjen?) vil nok sette pris p� den beatpregede og elektroniske solskinnssoulen p� "Hourglass". Det er sl�yt og slapt p� en ganske fin m�te, som ikke krever noe som helst av deg. Singelen "Time" er nydelig, "Space Continum" er "Eple" gjort av 4 Hero. Resten bader i helelektronisk soulmusikk med god egen vokal (veldig Erlend �ye) og en visitt fra Thomas Dybdahl. Fin cover av Tears For Fears' "Everbody Wants To Rule the World". Verandaen din vil ha dette.
(4/6) Thomas Strzelecki

Dagsavisen/Nye Takter
Vestkyst-pop
Klubbjazz/nujazz-scenen i Norge virker sterk p� vestkysten, av uklare grunner. Stavanger-duoen Fenomenon ga ut et par EP-er p� den britiske krem-labelen Nuphonic, som imidlertid gikk under sammen med house-b�lgen i 2000. N� er omsider albumet her, og det �pner med den fine singelen "Lucy Said", som med sine spretne synkoperte beats og falsettvokal minner om Scritti Politti. Dette er ikke den eneste 80-tallsreferansen p� plata, som slett ikke er noe retro-album, men en voksen og tidsriktig kombinasjon av brukne beats, soul og pop. Og den sarte "white boy soul"-stemmen til Kjetil Ingebrigtsen passer musikken vel s� bra som Thomas Dybdahl, som synger p� "Trouble Takes Flight". (Dybdahl og Ingebrigtsen spilte sammen i det ikke helt vellykkede funkpop-bandet Quadrophonics.)
Bare versjonen av Tears For Fears "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" faller i mimrefella: Den blir for enkel og lite oppfinnsom p� en plate som ellers er b�de sofistikert, velprogrammert og i det hele tatt vellydende.
(4/6) Bernt Erik Pedersen

Groove
Det er noe p� gang vest i landet. Det formelig kryr av elektronikautgivelser der hvor oljen renner som utslagsvann i gatene. Sist ut denne v�ren er Stavanger-duoen Fenomenon, som n� er � finne p� hjemlige Beatservice etter � ha gitt ut et par EPer p� London-selskapet Nuphonic. Deres f�rste langspiller, Hourglass, har f�tt selskap av singelutgivelsene Lucy Said og Time, som begge skaper en viss forventning til hovedproduktet.
Hourglass starter veldig bra med Lucy Said og en lyddrakt som sporenstreks bringer minner om 80-tallets glatte popproduksjoner. Vokalen til Kjetil Ingebretsen ligger meget tett opptil den distingverte Martin Fry fra 80-tallskjempene ABC. Sammenlikninger til tidlig Scritti Politti og deres vokalist Green Gartside er heller ikke ueffent n�r effektene dreier vokalen i lysere toneleier. Selv om dette er kjent farvann fungerer det meget godt n�r det syntetiske lydbildet bygger oppunder vokalen som svever lett gjennom rytmene. Dette burde bli en sommervarm landeplage som til og med kan v�re spiselig for Kanal 24.
Albumet fortsetter med chillout p� Space Continuum. Etter at nesten alle norske elektronikautgivelser siden 2001 har blitt sammenliknet med R�yksopp, kan koblingen til troms�v�ringene endelig rettferdiggj�res p� dette sporet. Blippene som dukker opp etter 1:19 ut i dette sporet er ikke akkurat et steinkast unna Eple, og de �vrige elementene som utgj�r l�ta er konstruert over samme lest som mye av materialet p� Melody A.M. Singelutgivelsen Time f�lger deretter, og tempoet skrus opp ett hakk. Det er sporene med vokal som fungerer best, synes jeg, selv om ikke Ingebretsen har et spesielt s�regent uttrykk. P� Time minner vokalen om den Erlend �ye har levert p� egne og andres l�ter. Det hindrer derimot ikke at dette er et h�ydepunkt p� albumet.
Det tilbakelente uttrykket er tilbake midtveis p� albumet i form av den utstrakte Hypersleep. Mange av elementene fra den innledende Space Continuum resirkuleres. S�rlig de samplede strykerne gj�r at lydbildet ikke akkurat f�les dagsferskt, men interessen vekkes lenger ut i l�ta hvor et mer eksperimentelt brudd gir et innslag av dynamikk. Trouble Takes Flight introduserer et hardere uttrykk av mer abstrakt grad med iherdig sequencerskruing. Det har v�rt knyttet en viss forventning til dette sporet siden Thomas Dybdahl gjester p� vokal. Dessverre fungerer ikke Dybdahls vokal like godt i et elektronisk lydbilde som den gj�r n�r han har selskap av tradisjonell instrumentering. Resultatet fremst�r som uforl�st og skuffende.
Popestetikken er tilbake p� Tears For Fears-l�ta Everybody Wants To Rule The World. Her kommer Ingebretsen til sin rett med en lett produksjon i ryggen som legger seg meget n�rt opptil originalen fra 1985. Det er kanskje skuffende at gutta ikke greier � bringe med seg noe mer s�regent til en coverversjon, men l�ta i seg selv har s� mange kvaliteter at jeg lar tvilen komme Fenomenon til gode denne gangen. Et mer oppdatert lydbilde dukker opp p� Restless, med t�ffere rytmer og en estetikk som n�rmer seg en lightversjon av 2-Step. Med noen runder i remiksmaskinen kan nok dette v�re en l�t som kan fylle dansegulv fremover. Nok et h�ydepunkt.
Tempoet opprettholdes p� Just Pretend med tidsriktige C64-referanser. L�ta reddes av et herlig refreng som rykker godt i discokjertelen og som burde fanges opp av diskotek-tsarer over det ganske land. Den avsluttende rytmen kan bare g� og g� uten at jeg blir lei. Lei blir jeg derimot av den avsluttende (og normativt nedtonede) Sleepy Meadows Of Buxton. Det er uforst�elig for meg hvorfor et album som har bygget opp et hyggelig driv mot slutten av ferden skal ende det hele med total tristesse i form av Reodor Felgen-munnspill, sliten gitar og tr�tt pianoklimpring. En un�dvendig slakk slutt p� en oppl�ftende avslutning.
N�r Hourglass skal oppsummeres sitter jeg igjen med en oppfatning at Stavanger-duoen har levert et av de beste albumene i skogen av elektroniske nykommere. Sammenliknet med Ugress, Elektrofant og Ralph Myerz har Fenomenon levert det beste debutalbumet. Likevel har ikke gutta funnet sin egenart enn�, og lener seg for tungt til de mange referansene i fortid og samtid. Derfor blir karakteren en streng, men rettferdig firer.
(4/7) Tom-Erik L�nner�d

Stavanger Aftenblad
Det er noe deilig behagelig og harmonisk over Fenomenons debutalbum "Hourglass". Dette er en plate av den typen du setter p� f�r du skal ut p� byen en sommernatt, og trenger noe f�nvindvarmt og lett � sm�danse til p� for � komme i den rette stemningen.
Kjetil Ingebretsen og H�vard "Hobie" Rosenberg serverer her et knippe l�ter med stor variasjon b�de n�r det gjelder tids - og sjangerinspirasjon. Ved � plukke litt her og der fra en etter hvert ganske s� lang elektronikahistorie, byr de p� et totalinntrykk som er b�de glatt, lekent og lyttbart. Her er elementer fra b�de jazz, rock og disco i salig blanding. Like godt har ikke Ingebretsen og Rosenberg lyktes i � bruke de velkjente elementene til � skape noe nytt og eget som er umiskjennelig Fenomenonsk. P� "Space Continuum" g�r tankene alltid til R�yksopps "Eple". Og minner ikke mye av vokalen p� albumet veldig om Erlend �ye?
Til tross for mange spennende lyddetaljer og variert instrumentbruk, synes jeg dette l�ter litt for mye som retrob�lgen fra i fjor. Synes heller ikke bandet tilf�rer Tears for Fears-l�ten "Everybody wants to rule the world" noe nytt.
Men det er mye � bli glad i her ogs�: "Time" (med den t�ffe videoen) blir bare bedre og bedre. "Day Time TV" er en favoritt fordi tekst og musikk danner en helhet st�rre enn delene. Og helt suverent uimotst�elig er 70-talls discorefrenget p� "Just Pretend".
Og l�ten "Trouble Takes Flight" fikk meg til � tenke p� Thomas Dybdahl. Ikke s� rart, kanskje, siden Dybdahl har l�nt stemme til denne l�ten som er ganske utypisk ham selv. Men stilig!
(4/6) Elisabeth Bie

Exact
Disse to Stavanger-gutta gj�r helt sin egen greie, muligens fordi det ikke er noe stort elektronikamilj� i byen, slik som i Bergen eller Troms�. Nu-jazz kalles det, men det er snart 20 �r siden jazzen l�d noe slikt som dette, spesielt merkes det p� "Daytime TV". "Trouble Takes Flight" med Thomas Dybdahl og Tears For Fears-coveren "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" setter retning for enkelte av l�tene, som bringer tankene tilbake p� popmusikk anno 1985. Men det finnes ogs� enkelte musikalske utfodringer som redder duoen fra � bli offer for egen fascinasjon for gammel disco. For de som synes mange elektronikaskiver fort blir kjedelige, kan dette v�re et godt alternativ.
(4/6) KD

Reviews

Lucy Said on daily rotation at fm4 national radio in Austria
Sleepy Meadows Of Buxton playlisted at milkaudio, Cannada
The whole album playlisted by Nic Tan, www.quantumlounge.net
Spiritual South have made a re-edit / medley of the album!
Time playlisted by Dave Bassin, FreeFall, KUSF - San Francisco
Time playlisted by Radio Magnetic, Glasgow

DJ Charts:
Matthew K (Glasgow)
"Since their days on Nuphonic Fenomenon have moved on a fair bit. Now there is a strong 80's flavour which they manage to do with style and class."

Update Magazine
Although Norway's Fenomenon released a couple of EP's for Nuphonic records a few years back, and have been involved with various production work for other artists, this is their first album release. Which is strange really, as this feels like the assured work of a group who've had dozens of releases under their belts. Their style is an easy going blend of nu jazz, broken beat, nu disco and eighties references. 'Lucy Said' opens up the album, lithe and sensuous fluffy pop to hum along to. 'Space Continium' gets discofied, heaving in the 80's references to rightous effect. Sleep Meadows of Buxton lies comfortably between Zero 7 and Lemon Jelly, whimsically led by a soothing mix of strings, classical piano and bass. The balance of vocal and instrumental songs is just right, so much so you'd even forgive them the indulgence of covering Eighties pap like 'Everybody wants to Rule The World'.Royksopp comparisons will no doubt abound,yet Fenomenon have more than enough character and tunes to carve a niche of their own''.
(5/5)

The Big Chill
So the Eighties electroclash sound is now officially uncool, according to the music journolists that hyped it up in the first place. Thankfully unaware of the "Eighties is so passe" fashionistas, or maybe because of it, Fenomenon have released an unashamedly pop album with a distinct Eighties feel to it. Fenomenon is Kjetil "Kay" Ingebretsen and H�vard "Hobie" Rosenberg yet another duo from the west coast of Norway (Is there a production line somewhere, deep inside a secret fjord?). In 2000, they signed with London label Nuphonic, and released two critically acclaimed EP's before Nuphonic was suddenly liquidated.
Rather than echoing the influences of Cabaret Voltaire and the Human League like so manybefore, Fenomenon's sound is more Scritti Politti and Tears for Fears. Ingebretsen's voice on opener and last years single "Lucy Said" sounds like Scritti Politti's main man Green has been dusted off and brought back to life. "Space Continuum" is a delicious slice of broken beat and sounds very much like fellow countrymen Royksopp. "Time" puts me in mind of another eighties favourite, Level42, but not in a bad way."Daytime TV" and "Hypersleep" are both uplifting, with the latter providing some lovely funky strings. Next single "Trouble takes flight" features guest vocalist Thomas Dybdahl and treads a very dubious line between Lloyd Cole and George Michael.
Wearing their influences totally on their sleeve is a "love it or loathe it" cover of Tears for Fears' "Everybody wants to rule the world". The track sounds like it was produced very tongue in cheek, as it comes across sounding like it was made to sound like a bad Casio keyboard demo song. If it was indeed produced as some kind of hommage to TFF, then it fails miserably. Despite all the odds though, the song is so familiar and strong that it just, and only just, works...possibly. Be prepared with the "Skip" button, you have been warned. "Restless" enters Giorgio Moroder territory with a wicked bass synth doing octave runs over a broken-ish beat. Final track "Sleepy meadows of Buxton" is a chilled closer that had me wondering if Fenomenon had ever been to Englands highest town. I've been there many times but did not notice many sleepy meadows, maybe I'm not looking hard enough.
Despite all the eighties sounding samples, synths and syn drums, Hourglass does stand on its own 21st century feet. The album doesn't veer into nostalgia, and in true eighties style keeps the gloss very much to the surface - what you hear is what you get. If you like 20 year old pop without all the electroclash art school nonesense, coupled with todays production and some dance music sensibilities then you will enjoy Fenomenon.

InTheMix (Australia)
Kjetil �Kay� Ingebretsen and Havard �Hobie� Rosenberg hail from the west coast of Norway and comprise the soulful electronic outfit Fenomenon. During 2000 the duo signed with London label Nuphonic and released two EPs that consolidated their reputation within the European nujazz/downtempo scene (�Pacific Memories� and �visjon.nord�), before the label ceased trading.
In the time since these initial releases, Fenomenon have been busy in the studio remixing a range of both Norwegian and international acts, and have also been involved in production sessions for Lisa Shaw (Naked Music), whilst they concentrated on completing this debut album. �Hourglass� follows hot on the heels of 2003�s �Lucy Said� 12�, which attracted considerable attention throughout the European downbeat community and showcased a slightly new sonic approach for Fenomenon, melding broken beat rhythms with soulful vocals and distinctly 80s synths.
In fact, �Lucy Said� has been selected as the track to open �Hourglass�and emerges from swooping bass synths and spidery broken beats into smooth synthetic pop anchored by Ingebretsen�s smooth soul vocals that occupies very similar territory to Kings Of Convenience frontman Erlend Oye�s 2003 electro-soul album �Unrest,� or perhaps even The Beloved. There�s some fantastic Motown string flourishes as Ingebretsen�s vocals glide smoothly over the pristine synthetic backing, and one thing that�s immediately apparent on first listening is the way in which Fenomenon have introduced human warmth into otherwise clinically precise tracks by injecting a dose of vocal soul. �Space Continuum� is instrumental and builds a broken beat soul groove reminiscent of Tosca / Peace Orchestra that melds Philly string stabs with an elastic bassline and echoing synth bleeps, before �Time� kicks in with a synthetic bassline so 1980s that it almost approaches electroclash, Ingebretsen�s smooth pop vocals sliding over icy electro house rhythms and synth stabs that could have come straight off a Duran Duran album.
�Daytime TV� rides a downtempo house rhythm, with Ingebretsen�s smooth melancholy vocals almost calling to mind eighties blue-eyed soul such as Hall & Oates over pumping beats and flanging synths, before �Hypersleep� takes things back down into G-Stone Recordings territory, echoing synths shimmering through a smoky spacious landscape of loping beats and Philly string flourishes. �Trouble Takes Flight� introduces the guest vocals of Thomas Dybdahl who adds his George Michael-esque croon to some brightly-coloured eighties synth melodies that sit tightly over a stuttering broken beat rhythm and video game blips, while �Restless� rides an almost UK-garage influenced two-step beat, Ingebretsen�s smooth tones gliding over plunging bass drops and kicking snares.
Slightly problematic is perhaps the best way to describe Fenomenon�s cover of the Tears For Fears anthem �Everybody Wants To Rule The World�, also included here. While Tears For Fears are certainly back in the public consciousness with the recent inclusion of �Mad World� on the Donnie Darko soundtrack, and I can certainly appreciate Fenomenon�s desire to wear their love for the eighties on their sleeve, perhaps the biggest failing of this cover version is that it�s overly reverential to the original, without really injecting anything fresh. Most disappointingly, rather than being particularly bad, it comes across as a bit of a straight karaoke cover version amongst a tracklisting that�s otherwise consistently inspired and original, detracting from the whole more than anything else here. �Just Pretend� by comparison launches into full seventies disco house mode, Ingebretsen�s Sylvester-esque soul falsetto sliding over a pumping backbeat of thick bass groove, synthetic blips and ecstatic string stabs, before �Sleepy Meadows Of Buxton� takes this album to a downtempo instrumental close, with wheezing double bass rolling alongside slow broken beats, lush strings and glacial piano tones, with some gorgeous melancholy harmonica and JJ Cale-esque blues guitar in there too.
�Hourglass� is a solid debut album from Fenomenon, which shows the duo crafting an adept fusion of retro synthetic sounds and contemporary downbeat electronic soul influences to create a compelling hybrid that�s both smooth and accessible. It�s curious however that �Hourglass� seems to be a bit of a game of two halves for Fenomenon, with the few downbeat instrumental tracks here showcasing a lush filmic aspect to the duo�s work that I would have liked to see a little more of. While the Tears For Fears cover may have you reaching for the �skip� button, �Hourglass� is a smooth and beautifully produced album that will definitely appeal to anyone who likes a dash of eighties nostalgia in their smooth electro-soul.
Recommended for fans of Erlend Oye/Kings Of Convenience, Vikter Duplaix, Tosca.
Evil Chris

iDJ Magazine
Following a pair of acclaimed singles on the Nuphonic label, the Norwegian duo drop an irresistible blend of breakbeats and smooth jazzy electro-organica on their debut album for Beatservice, a selection topped off with glistening production, strong vocals and a subtle pop undercurrent. The latter is immediately apparent on the bumpin� opener, Lucy Said, complete with gorgeous Green-style vox, which are echoed on the equally addictive dance floor beats of Time; again reaching with a dash of 80�s flava. This vibe is taken a touch too far, however, with a cover of Tears For Fears� Everybody Wants To Rule The World, although this proves the sole low point on an otherwise enticing offering.
(4/6) Lurch

Update Magazine
Synthesised Scandinavian gloss paying equal attention to forward thinking and neon-coloured pop vibrancy of old. The pivot amongst the New Wave shimmer meeting broken beat electronica is an, in theory, dubious Tears for Fears cover, that though a straight bar-for-bar replica, sounds more 80s than the original of Everybody Wants to Rule the World ever did. Hourglass holds its own with a rich, well-serving vocal spine ensuring Fenomenon are far from misty-eyed throwbacks or novice keyboard re-animators, with Sleepy of Meadows of Buxton and Hypersleep fleshing out the sharp-angled sounds into the present.
(4/5)

Resident Advisor
Fenomenon is Kjetil "Kay" Ingebretsen and Havard "Hobie" Rosenberg originally from Stavanger on the south west coast of Norway. Currently at home on the Norwegian label Beatservice and first signing in 2000 with London label Nuphonic, their success has been due to the previous two releases on Nuphonic and the two singles under Beatservice. With subtle disco beats and strong 80�s influences the duo turn out a pop electro affair with Hourglass landing Fenomenon on numerous compilations and playlists.
Since their release of the 12" Lucy Said, released on Hi Fi Terapi 03, (1st track on the CD) and the recent Beatservice single "Time" (also featured on the Album) Fenomenon has stayed on the path with their familiar sound of smooth soulful vocals accompanied by mixed up broken beats n pieces with overtones and reference to 80's electro clash tunes.
Hourglass presents a style of light down tempo lush tunes, laden with broken beats and the electro vibe of something new taking from something old. Sliding off the CD is "Lucy Said" with hints of a mellow two step tune and squelchy stabs throughout keeping in the soulful vocals which ride on through the track. Sounding like it could of been lifted straight off a Thievery Corporation CD. Space Continuum flows out a smooth smokers delight tune that would end up on many a compilation.
A radio version of the original Time which is also remixed on the 12" by Landslide (UK) and Ernesto (Sweden - Swell Session) makes a classy addition to the CD with Royksopp and Erland Oye in mind with a faster paced beat with stand out trademark vocals. A cool animated video by Tom Idland is also released with the single. Thomas Dybdahl helps out with vocals on Trouble Takes Flight thrashed with beeps, blips and breaks it sounds a bit like a 80's version of Mr Oizo, twisted but true. Disco beats of Just Pretend and more samples thrown in for good measure, by this stage the album starts repeating its stand on the defined 80's electro but "with new vocals" style. Including a cover version of the Tears For Fears track Everybody Wants To Rule The World it adds freshness to the album mixing it up and creating some memories for all you 80's teens.
(5/10) Perry

ukvibe.org
For those of us who had the wisdom to get a copy of last years soul beat monster...'Lucy Said' will be happy to know of Fenomenons brand new 'Hourglass' album which is to come among us! On first listen it is evident that they have their roots firmly in the past respectively ....especially the 80's soul electronica muzik. From the above mentioned 'Lucy Said' which got a good ol 'wearing from gilles and the the 360 Degrees DJ collective, to the Tears For Fears 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' and club monsters like 'Restless' which has a broken beat thang going on! To the mellow soulful chugger 'Just Pretend' and the �Sleepy Meadows Of Buxton' a beautiful instrumental for lazy sunday afternoons... More you listen to it the more you realise Fenomenon don�t want to change the world so much as to take a closer look at it, and if their feet are firmly in the past their minds eye is certainly in the future!

 

Flux Magazine
On the surface, inoffensive 21st century electronic soul from a Norwegian duo who where making a name for themselves on Nuphonic before that label went under; on closer listening, darkness lurks in little fills, overdriven bass sounds and some wariness in the vocals, which makes this nice enough to be popular and worthwile enough to last.
AC

Smother.net
Fenomenon is the Norwegian answer to what should be played in the downtempo bars and hookah cafes. Mixing broken beats with nu-jazz along with soulful vocals, Hourglass is tomorrow�s sound although no one could question the definite �80�s influence. Furthering that notion even deeper is the included cover of Tears For Fears� Everybody Wants to Rule the World, which is a superbly updated IDM-esque downtempo refurbishing. Elegant in every essence of the term, this filtered bleep-beat duo carves out their own unique niche in the wide array of neo-IDM downtempo ambience to stake their future placement in the charts.
J-Sin

Clubbity
Following their two critically acclaimed singles on the late Nuphonic label, Fenomenon, the duo from the west coast of Norway, come with their ten-track album entitled 'Hourglass'. The blending of styles can be pinned down as nu jazz, dowbeat garnished with dabs of brokenism, upbeat, 80's flavours, soulful vocals and a subtle pop undercurrent. The tracks which stand out are 'Lucy Said', previously released on single, and 'Time', which on the EP sports the remixes by Snorre Seim (Butti49) and Ernesto (Swell Session, Stateless, Beanfield). Also on there is a daring cover version of Tears For Fears' Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Out on the Norwegian label Beatservice the album is an interesting treat abridging old and new sounds.
Jazzimo

Discoid (Italy)
Fenomenon are in fact two guys who come from Norway and the more attentive ones of you out there will remember their releases on Nuphonic. This album demonstrates greatly their talent in making brilliant quality modern day beats with some wonderful smoky jazzy vocals over the top. Lovely stuff!

Forthcoming:

Insight Magazine
It will be this month's 'album of the month', and I would make that 'of the year' if we had that category. It was the only album I played for a week. It's fantastic. Review to follow...
Mathew Clarke

Forthcoming reviews in Plastics Magazine, Ihos Magazine in greece (greece's biggest and best music magazine), N�yesguiden (sweden), Onion Magazine (Australia)

Reviews in other languages

DeBug Magazine (Germany)
Seit ihren beiden Maxis anno Haste-nicht-geh�rt auf Nuphonic sind die Herren Ingebringtsen und Rosenberg eine feste Gr��e. Daf�r hat das Album-Deb�t lange warten lassen. Umso sch�ner, dass es mit diesen Remixen von Ernesto, der besonders durch seine Vocals auf den Alben von Swell Session und Beanfield sich noch viel schneller einen Ausnahmenimbus erarbeitet hat, und Butti 49s Snorre Seim nun endlich einen echten Vorboten aus Skandinavien gibt. Ernesto konzentriert sich im Kern auf gebrochene Beats, vergisst dabei aber leider, seine Stimme hinreichend einzubringen. Eine melancholische Schwere zieht sich auch durch Snorre Seims Version, die aber in ihrer K�hle immer noch den Charme nordischer Wintern�chte transportiert.
(4/6) m.path.iq

Clubbingspain
Los noruegos Kjetil "Kay" Ingebretsen y H�vard "Hobie" Rosenberg hacen su debut en larga duraci�n con 'Hourglass', en el sello, tambi�n noruego, Beatservice. Tras el cese de Nuphonic, sello brit�nico donde la pareja hab�a publicado un par de 12", se buscaron una nueva casa y fueron acogidos con los brazos abiertos en Beatservice.
Podr�a aventurarme a decir que Fenomenon son los Wagon Cookin noruegos. El LP es un compendio de nu-jazz y downtempo en el que la programaci�n juega un papel fundamental as� como la inclusi�n de voces y otros instrumentos anal�gicos. Destaca 'Lucy Said', el tema con el que abren el LP y que ya fue publicado en oto�o del 2003 por Hi-Fi Terapy. 'Hypersleep' que hace las veces de nana electr�nica, el piano de 'Sleepy Meadows of Buxton' o la particular versi�n del 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' de los desparecidos Tears For Fears. Perfecto LP para una nueva entrega de Mundo Languido ;).
(8/10) David S�nchez

Manamana (Hungary)
A Kjetil Ingebretsen �s H�vard Rosenberg �ltal alkotott fenomen�lis norv�g csapat, m�r n�gy �vvel ezel�tt berobbant a zenei k�ztudatba. Az akkoriban nagyon men� angol lemezc�gn�l a Nuphonic-n�l jelentettek meg k�t maxit, amiket t�bbek k�zt mi is nagyon sz�vesen j�tszottunk. A nu jazz, a downtempo, a soul �s a hip-hop kever�k�b�l �ssze�ll� alapokra �rz�ki vok�lok k�sztak, ami el�g egy�ni hangz�st eredm�nyezett. Id�k�zben a Nuphonic sajn�latos m�don kivonult a piacr�l, �gy a Fenomenon is k�nytelen volt �j kiad� ut�n n�zni. Tavaly, magukra tal�lva egy �jabb kislemezt adtak ki a Hi Fi Terapi-n�l, majd m�g egyet a Beatservice-n�l, ahol v�g�l az album is elk�sz�lt. A hip-hop teljesen kiesett a k�pb�l, a hely�re pedig n�mi 80-as �vek popzenei feel �s diszk�var�zs ker�lt. Erre utal a Tears For Fears feldolgoz�s is, az Everybody Wants To Rule The World. A Hourglass finom hallgat�s anyag, van aki azt mondja r� hogy ny�las, �n ink�bb maradn�k az �rz�kin�l, mindenestre kell egy nyugodt �ra az al�mer�l�shez, amikor az ember t�nyleg oda tud figyelni r�.
suefo