Shortwave Memories

Released in 2022, Shortwave Memories marks a deliberate shift in Geir Jenssen's creative process. Moving away from the digital workstations and software-heavy compositions of his mid-career, Jenssen utilized vintage analog synthesizers (such as the ARP Odyssey and Korg MS-20) and shortwave radio receivers to construct these tracks. The album is inspired by the 'post-atomic' era of electronic music, specifically the early pioneers who worked with oscillators and tape. Critics, including those at laut.de, noted the album's departure from the 'arctic ambient' tag, praising its rhythmic complexity and 'dusty' sonic character. The record is structured around loops that evolve with minute variations, mimicking the signal drift of long-distance radio transmissions. It stands as a late-career highlight that successfully bridges the gap between his 90s ambient techno roots and his more recent experimental sound design.