“I’m just waiting on the artwork” says Olefonken when I quiz him on the mythical Hubbabubbaklubb album. I remember speaking to lead singer Morten Skjæveland about the release in the summer of 2016, to which he replied something like: “whenever Olefonken feels ready to let it go”. Something of a musical perfectionist, Olefonken’s obsession with Hubbabubbaklubb’s debut LP has left us all on tenterhooks, while his solo releases like Quaaludes on his Snorkel imprint has kept us entertained in the meantime.
A wispy, blonde figure, Olefonken is a regular feature at Jæger where he plays alongside Celius, Ricky Late and Oskar Pask as the R.L.O.C collective and a prominent feature on Oslo’s DJ scene. His mixes are vast, expansive journeys through the entire musical universe with an innate connection to the audience.
On his edition of the Jæger mix Olefonken takes us on a dreamy trip through an early Sunday evening with a selection that goes from from Elvis to Aphex Twin. It’s a mix that moves through time like liquid, with ethereal slide guitars dripping from break-beat percussive arrangements or ghostly vocals flitting through ambient textures.
The tracks hop from one end of the musical spectrum to the next and Olefonken weaves them together like a soundtrack, where they attempt to communicate some surreal narrative rather than pander to the dance floor. It’s like the first chapter of a story that leaves us cliffhanging at the end as it draws to an open-ended conclusion when a regular rhythmic measure sets the tone for some intangible musical evening ahead.
Give us an introduction