Aadal (Norway) – Death by Dyson (sample track from the album Aggressive Hymns, Energetic Ballads)

When I was a kid I used to be fascinated by Acker Bilk, something of a one-hit wonder I guess, with his ‘Stranger on the Shore’, a song written for a TV series but one that evoked in many people who heard it themes of intense longing, loneliness, and, in its lyrical form, heartache.

Bilk played it on a clarinet and I loved the sound it made. As my attention was focused on a more dramatic instrument at the time – the drum kit – and with my instrument recognition as bad as it is now, I never bothered to make the effort to identify the one he was using. I was just captivated by it, whatever it was.

Fast forward to 2026 and with a busy schedule this week I had to identify rapidly a sample track from the new album by Aadal, which is released on 20^th February, ‘Aggressive Hymns, Energetic Ballads’. I’m drawn to ‘Death by Dyson’, which I assumed meant being sucked into a vacuum cleaner, like something out of Monty Python. It’s one of several tracks with wordplay pun titles, like ‘Wichita Linedance’, ‘Wall of Ground’ and probably others that I haven’t figured out yet

The track is dominated by another wind instrument, the saxophone, a mainstay of Aadal’s recordings and live performances and backed by subtle guitar, bass and percussion accompaniments.

And the result is the same. With Aadal it’s all to do with generating emotion where you wouldn’t expect to find any and telling a story, irrespective of the obscurity of the title.

‘Death by Dyson’ is as intimate as it gets. A meandering, unrushed, restrained piece that has a supper club feel to it and yet isn’t light on dynamism either.

As for the story, well Dyson manufactures other white, household and personal goods but in my mind I can easily envisage a soporific vac household cleaning regime leading you into a false sense of security as you follow it around the place, risking your own sudden demise if you don’t watch your feet.

That’s probably the most arcane analysis I’ve ever made of a song. But I make no apologies because it’s not clear what it’s about. That’s what Aadal’s music does. It removes you from reality for a few minutes and puts all sorts of thoughts in your head.

And it matters not a jot if you like jazz or not because the music – thought provoking and inspiring jazz-rock fusion is the best way I can think of to describe it – is never so extreme as to bother you.

Expect to find gentler, balladic songs on the album, along with the extravagant and at times the overwhelming. The clue is in the title.

(Continues after the Spotify link).

Artists:

Michael Aadal – guitar

André Kassen – tenor saxophone

Audun Ramo – bass

Gunnar Sæter – drums

The recording was supported by Sørnorsk Jazzsenter.

Aadal will be playing in the UK shortly: March 4th in Liverpool, 5th in London, and 6th in Norwich. Take my word for it. They are well worth making the effort to see live.

Find them on:

Website: www.aadalmusic.com