ESPEN FRIBERG — Fuglen Flyr Godt (tape)

Espen Friberg – Fuglen flyr godt (TAPE) arrives on Students of Decay as catalogue SOD148CS, a cassette release that explores the borderlands of drone, beats techno and ambient techno. Recorded in the coastal town of Hvitsten, Norway, the work follows Friberg’s 2022 solo debut Sun soon (Hubro) and deepens his engagement with the Serge Modular synthesizer, offering eleven improvisational pieces that echo the surrounding pine forests and shifting winter light. Within the Students of Decay roster, Fuglen flyr godt sits after Josh Mason’s Wave Salt +7 (SOD144CS, 2026) and Flutter Ridder’s self-titled LP (SOD138LP, 2025), while earlier releases such as Olli Aarni’s Koko maailma (SOD131LP, 2023) illustrate the label’s commitment to experimental electronic narratives. Friberg’s cassette continues this trajectory, delivering a soundworld that is both idiosyncratic and attuned to the label’s aesthetic of tactile, evolving textures. Side A opens with “Antenne”, a piece that introduces a slowly unfurling melodic strand, setting a contemplative tone that carries through to “Vind munn”. The second track deepens the atmosphere, allowing the evolving Serge network to generate a subtle rhythmic pulse that feels like a breath of sea air. “Over furutrær” follows, its title suggesting a view over trees, and the music mirrors this with a gentle, sweeping motion that bridges the first two cuts. “Om dagen” shifts toward a brighter timbral palette, hinting at daylight in the coastal landscape, before “Fuglen flyr godt” – the title track – consolidates the album’s thematic core, presenting a fluid, almost airborne gesture that captures the notion of a bird in flight. Closing Side A, “Rabarbra” and “Bølger” introduce a slightly more textured surface, the former evoking a tart, organic quality and the latter conjuring the ebb and flow of waves, both reinforcing the record’s organic-synthetic dialogue. Side B begins with “Liten tegning”, a miniature sketch in sound that offers a delicate, almost intimate moment before “Pausesignal” inserts a brief, contemplative pause that functions as a structural breath within the set. “Se rødstrupe” expands the sonic horizon, its title referencing a red-throated bird and the music responding with a vivid, soaring character. The final piece, “Om natten”, closes the cassette with a nocturnal ambience, its lingering tones providing a reflective end-point that resonates with the album’s overall sense of place and time. Although this is Friberg’s second solo cassette, it builds on the lightness of touch he displayed on Sun soon, now filtered through a more expansive, landscape-inspired lens. The collaboration with longtime partner Jenny Berger Myhre in mixing and production, alongside mastering by Eivind Opsvik, ensures that the Serge’s complex timbres are presented with clarity, allowing the listener to navigate the shifting textures without losing the underlying rhythmic pulse that ties the work to beats-oriented techno. For DJs, Fuglen flyr godt offers a suite of extended, atmospheric sections that can be woven into late-night sets or used as ambient interludes. The cassette’s continuous flow and the natural ebb between tracks make it suitable for seamless mixing, while individual pieces like “Fuglen flyr godt” and “Se rødstrupe” provide distinct moments for peak-time elevation. Collectors will appreciate the tactile nature of the cassette format, which complements the analog ethos of the Serge system and the label’s dedication to physical media. The release is presented as a 12-track cassette, catalogued as SOD148CS on Students of Decay, and falls squarely within the drone-laden, beat-driven ambient techno realm that the label curates. Espen Friberg – Fuglen flyr godt (TAPE), Students of Decay, catalogue SOD148CS, cassette, 11 tracks. Tracklist: A1. Espen Friberg – Antenne A2. Espen Friberg – Vind munn A3. Espen Friberg – Over furutrær A4. Espen Friberg – Om dagen A5. Espen Friberg – Fuglen flyr godt A6. Espen Friberg – Rabarbra A7. Espen Friberg – Bølger A8. Espen Friberg – Liten tegning A9. Espen Friberg – Pausesignal A10. Espen Friberg – Se rødstrupe A11. Espen Friberg – Om natten