Molvær completed his debut album as a leader in 1997, Khmer, which focuses on a previously unknown blend of improvisation and hypnotically spinning beats, receiving extraordinary public and media response, and was honoured with the German Record Critics Award and a Norwegian Grammy.
The follow-up to Khmer, released in May 2000 entitled Solid Ether, intensified Molvær's dialogue with club culture. The idea behind the Solid Ether concept is that a piece of music is never really finished and that composing and producing are an ever-evolving process. "'Ether' does not exist, so how can it be solid? It's a paradox - like life".
Molvær's album NP3, released in 2002, sees him continuing the concepts that were developed through Khmer and Solid Ether by putting significant differing elements together to combine contrasting structures. A strong presence on NP3 is Molvær's soulful and creative use of new music manufacturing technology.
Molvær's latest studio album (2005) is named ER. The record contains a wide spectre of music expressions from the soft and downbeat productions to the strong and powerful ones. Molvær has taken a new direction with ER even if the soundscapes will be recognised from his previous releases. This time he has given more creative space to programmers like Knut Sævik, DJ Strangefruit, Reidar Skaar and Jan Bang.
Official website:
http://www.nilspettermolvaer.info/
Discography:
With Masqualero:
1985 - Bande À Part
1987 - Aero
1990 - Re-Enter
Solo:
1998 - Khmer
2000 - Solid Ether
2001 - Recoloured: The Remix Album (remixes)
2002 - NP3
2004 - Streamer (live)
2005 - Remakes (remixes)
2005 - ER
2005 - EDY (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Other/Guest:
1990 - So I Write (Sidsel Endresen)
1990 - Nonsentration (Jon Balke)
1993 - Exile (Sidsel Endresen)
1994 - Small Labyrinths (Marilyn Mazur)
1995 - Hastening Westward (Robyn Schulkowsky & Nils Petter Molvær)
2003 - Electra (Arild Andersen)
2007 - Ataraxis (Deeyah)
Merciful 1
Nils Petter Molvær Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Merciful are these cobwebs that we cling to
Oh to be sad
Oh to be lost in a crowd
And to be found
And turn round laughing
To laugh while you know
You leave just a shadow
The lyrics of Nils Petter Molvær's song Merciful 1 seem to be about our human tendency to create and hold onto stories and beliefs that may not necessarily reflect reality. The opening lines suggest that these stories are "merciful," perhaps because they offer some solace or sense of order in a chaotic world. The metaphor of "cobwebs" suggests that these stories may be delicate and easily broken, but we still cling to them nonetheless.
The second half of the lyrics shift to a more personal tone, with the singer expressing a desire to feel emotions like sadness and to be lost in a crowd. However, they also express the desire to be found and to turn around laughing, perhaps indicating a desire for connection with others. The final line uses the metaphor of trains leaving stations, suggesting that life is constantly moving forward and we are always leaving things behind, but also implies that there is a sense of continuity and ongoing journey.
Overall, the lyrics of Merciful 1 seem to touch on themes of human connection and the power of storytelling to shape our perceptions of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Merciful are these stories we spin
These fabricated narratives we create are compassionate because they provide us comfort and hope in difficult times.
Merciful are these cobwebs that we cling to
The intricate webs of beliefs we hold onto can be merciful because they help us make sense of the chaos around us.
Oh to be sad
The feeling of sadness can be desirable because it allows us to feel deeply and process our emotions.
Oh to be lost in a crowd
Feeling anonymous and blending in with a crowd can be liberating because it relieves the pressure of standing out or being judged.
And to be found
Being discovered or recognized can be gratifying because it affirms our existence and value.
And turn round laughing
Laughing in the face of adversity can be a form of defiance and resilience.
To laugh while you know
Experiencing joy despite being aware of the impermanence and fragility of life can be bittersweet and precious.
You leave just a shadow
Our existence is fleeting and transient, and we ultimately leave behind only a trace of our presence.
Like trains forever leaving stations
Time moves relentlessly and inexorably forward, and we are constantly departing from the past and embarking on new journeys.
Writer(s): Sidsel Endresen, Nils Petter Molvaer
Contributed by Jack B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@nathanalbaugh10
Timeless