KIM HIORTHØY — Hei

Kim Hiorthøy – Hei The 12-inch vinyl BLICKWINKEL27LP arrives on blickwinkel as a freshly remastered edition of the artist’s 2000 debut, originally issued on Smalltown Supersound. Framed by electronica and pop-house sensibilities, the record revisits the lo-fi, sample-laden world that first marked Hiorthøy’s entry into electronic music. Its release on 30 October 2026 positions the album within a series of reissues that the label is curating to highlight pivotal works from its catalogue. Within blickwinkel’s 2026 output, Hei follows a string of earlier releases that map the label’s eclectic taste: Ameel Brecht’s “WILDERNESS” (BLICKWINKEL22CS), Suzan Peeters’ “Cassotto” (BLICKWINKEL21LP), Roxane Métayer’s “Vies Sylvestres” (BLICKWINKEL16LP) and the collaborative “On a Tuesday and a Wednesday” by Pierre Bastien and Casper Van De Velde (BLICKWINKEL18LP). The most recent prior entry, Kim Hiorthøy’s own “Ghost Note LP” (BLICKWINKEL15LP, 2025), already hinted at the artist’s evolving relationship with the label, making Hei a natural continuation of that dialogue. Side A opens with “Politiska Dikten Återvänder (2026 Remaster)”, a title that suggests a reflective, perhaps narrative-driven approach, and it sets a tone of measured rhythm that carries through the subsequent cuts. “Forskjellige Gode Ting” and “Den Fula Skogen Bakom Köket” keep the momentum, each offering a distinct melodic fragment that feels both intimate and slightly off-kilter, echoing the original’s blend of instrumental hip-hop influence and nascent techno curiosity. “Torture Happiness” introduces a sharper edge, while “Jag Finns Inte Mer” and “Juli” drift into more spacious territories, allowing the listener’s imagination to fill the gaps left by the minimalist production. The latter part of side A, from “Teckningar Och Folk” through the sprawling “Det Uigjenkallelige Ved Det Som Er Gjort Og Makten Til Å Tilgi Til Å Tilgi”, weaves a tapestry of fragmented phrases and looping structures that reinforce the record’s experimental yet approachable character. “Giving And Taking Book” offers a brief respite before the final A-side track, the unusually titled “Det Skulle Vara Fint Att Se Dig, Tänkte Jag (2026 Remaster)”, which closes the side with a contemplative mood that mirrors the album’s overarching sense of open curiosity. Side B continues the journey with “Hängar Långsamt I Luften (2026 Remaster)”, a piece that seems to hover, providing a gentle lift that prepares the ground for the enigmatic “(2026 Remaster)”. The subsequent “Hip Hop Is A Way Of Life” nods overtly to the genre that informed the original sessions, delivering a rhythmic pulse that feels both nostalgic and freshly contextualised. The record concludes with the titular closing track, “Han Brydde Sig Inte Om Att Stiga Upp, Hela Dagen Lät Han Nya Bilder Och Funderingar Komma Och Gå Som De Ville, Sov Lite Ibland Och Vaknade Igen Och Visste Inte Alls Vem Han Var. Det Var En Fridfull Och Mycket Spännande Dag (2026 Remaster)”. Its length and literary source—drawn from a Tove Jansson story—encapsulate the album’s ethos: an invitation to linger in a state of openness, allowing ideas to surface without predetermined direction. Hei occupies a distinctive place in Kim Hiorthøy’s modest discography. After the 2025 “Ghost Note LP”, which expanded his palette with more polished textures, this remaster revisits the raw, intuitive construction of his earliest work. The original sessions, assembled in Copenhagen with an Akai MPC2000, a stereo microphone and a DAT machine, were guided more by instinct than by formal technique. That same spirit persists in the 2026 version, offering a snapshot of an artist whose later output would continue to defy easy categorisation while retaining the playful curiosity evident here. For DJs, Hei provides a suite of tracks that can be threaded into a variety of set contexts. The early A-side cuts work well as intro or transition pieces, their modest grooves allowing seamless mixing into deeper house or downtempo sets. Mid-side selections such as “Torture Happiness” and “Hip Hop Is A Way Of Life” bring a more defined rhythm that can energise a peak-time slot without overwhelming the dancefloor. The longer, more atmospheric pieces on both sides serve as effective tools for building tension or offering a reflective breather, especially in late-night or after-hours environments where the record’s experimental leanings can be appreciated. The release is pressed as a standard 12-inch vinyl, reflecting the original format while benefiting from the 2026 remastering work of Stephan Mathieu. The sleeve features a portrait by Kim Hiorthøy himself and design by Jelle Martens, reinforcing the personal, DIY aesthetic that underpins the music. Kim Hiorthøy – Hei, blickwinkel, catalogue BLICKWINKEL27LP, 12-inch vinyl, 14 tracks, electronica/pop house, released 30 October 2026. Tracklist: A1. Kim Hiorthøy – Politiska Dikten Återvänder (2026 Remaster) A2. Kim Hiorthøy – Forskjellige Gode Ting (2026 Remaster) A3. Kim Hiorthøy – Den Fula Skogen Bakom Köket (2026 Remaster) A4. Kim Hiorthøy – Torture Happiness (2026 Remaster) A5. Kim Hiorthøy – Jag Finns Inte Mer (2026 Remaster) A6. Kim Hiorthøy – Juli (2026 Remaster) A7. Kim Hiorthøy – Teckningar Och Folk (2026 Remaster) A8. Kim Hiorthøy – Det Uigjenkallelige Ved Det Som Er Gjort Og Makten Til Å Tilgi Til Å Tilgi (2026 Remaster) A9. Kim Hiorthøy – Giving And Taking Book (2026 Remaster) A10. Kim Hiorthøy – Det Skulle Vara Fint Att Se Dig, Tänkte Jag (2026 Remaster) A11. Kim Hiorthøy – Hängar Långsamt I Luften (2026 Remaster) A12. Kim Hiorthøy – (2026 Remaster) A13. Kim Hiorthøy – Hip Hop Is A Way Of Life (2026 Remaster) A14. Kim Hiorthøy – Han Brydde Sig Inte Om Att Stiga Upp, Hela Dagen Lät Han Nya Bilder Och Funderingar Komma Och Gå Som De Ville, Sov Lite Ibland Och Vaknade Igen Och Visste Inte Alls Vem Han Var. Det Var En Fridfull Och Mycket Spännande Dag (2026 Remaster)