POING & Maja S.K. Ratkje: Kapital & Moral

The combination of the trio POING and vocalist Maja S. K. Ratkje has been referred to as among the best, boldest and most innovative players in the Norwegian music community. On their new album, “Kapital & Moral”, they present a selection of songs from the past century that address the impact that capitalism has on each and every one of us.

Together they explore the frame of mind expressed in John Lennon’s “Working Class Hero”, the compassion towards children seeking asylum in Åge Aleksandersen’s eternally topical “Fremmed fugl”, Kaiser/Weill’s “Song of the Lottery Agents”, and Rudolf Nilsen’s description of children sewing clothes for Western consumers in “En vise om Kinabarna”. A total of 12 songs have been approached from a new angle, and this has been accomplished with ease, a sense of humour, a surfeit of energy, seriousness, power and ingenuity.

According to the newspaper Aftenposten, their previous release, “Wach Auf” (Øra Fonogram, 2011), “reinstates the element of surprise in the cabaret tradition and expands the content of meaning in the concept of revolutionary music”. For several years the group have presented an annual concert in Oslo the evening before 1 May. They have toured extensively since their previous album was released, performing at a number of Norwegian festivals as well as in France, Belgium and the USA, often together with local choirs.

The members of POING are Rolf-Erik Nystrøm on saxophone, Frode Haltli on accordion and Håkon Theling on double bass. On this release both they and vocalist Maja S. K. Ratkje play a variety of instruments.

The album was recorded at Propeller Studio in Oslo, and was produced by Kåre Chr. Vestrheim.