Bel Canto

Biography

Bel Canto is a Norwegian music duo, originally a trio, fronted by vocalist Anneli Drecker, and signed originally to Crammed Discs.

Biography

Bel Canto was formed in 1985 in Tromsø by Geir Jenssen (keyboards, synthesizer, programming), Nils Johansen (synthesizer, violin, bass guitar, guitar) and vocalist Anneli Drecker. Asked about early influences, Drecker mentioned OMD, David Bowie, 4AD-artists, Clannad, Kate Bush, Laurie Anderson, David Sylvian, YMO and Ryuichi Sakamoto, Depeche Mode, and the Blue Nile, among others.
Bel Canto was one of the first Norwegian bands to sign a record contract abroad. The trio moved to Brussels in 1986 and had their debut album White-Out Conditions×White-Out Conditions1987 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracksA1Blank Sheets4:09A2Dreaming Girl2:50A3Without You3:50A4Capio2:18A5Agassiz3:53B1Kloeberdanz3:05B2White-Out Conditions3:04B3Baltic Ice-Breaker4:42B4Upland7:00 released by Crammed Discs the following year. After a second album, Birds of Passage×Birds of Passage1989 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Intravenous3:182Birds of Passage5:273The Glassmaker4:284A Shoulder to the Wheel4:165Time Without End5:016Oyster3:057Continuum4:358Dewy Fields4:029The Suffering4:0610Picnic on the Moon4:4011Look 34:33 (1990), Jenssen left the band for a solo career as Biosphere. The group had a commercial breakthrough with Shimmering, Warm and Bright in 1992, and won the Spellemannprisen award twice, in 1992 and 1996. Their style evolved over time from an ethereal dream pop sound to synth-based pop influenced by world music, also including influences from classical music, traditional nordic folk music and trip hop.
During their career, Bel Canto had periods of reduced activity while its members pursued other projects. Alongside her work with the band, Anneli Drecker pursued a solo career, performed with other bands and artists such as Röyksopp, and appeared in films and theatre productions. Nils Johansen composed music for film and television and worked with his other band, Vajas.
In 2007 it was reported that the original three-piece line-up of Bel Canto had reunited and was working on a new album. But the project was not completed and founder member Geir Jenssen left the band again.
In 2009, a previously unheard Bel Canto song, "Flowerbeds", which dates from 1988, appeared on a Norwegian compilation album called Maskindans: Norsk synth 1980–1988 released on Hommage Records.
In 2017 Bel Canto performed at Øyafestivalen in Oslo, playing some of their careers best known songs in a near hour long set. In an interview Anneli Drecker said that the band was keen to do more live work and possibly record new songs.
In June 2022, Anneli Drecker and Nils Johansen announced that they were working on a new Bel Canto album. The album was released on 26 April 2024 with the title Radiant Green×Radiant Green26 April 2024 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Grass Mint Crisp4:582Erlkönig5:253Lifeworld4:464Prince of Insecuria3:425Train Window Girl8:316Virginia4:107Lake Ice4:398Can of Worms5:189The Winds of the Milky Way4:5810Wave Without a Shore5:16, the duo's first album in 22 years.

Albums

White-Out Conditions (1987)
Birds of Passage (1989)
Shimmering, Warm and Bright (1992)
Magic Box (1996)
Rush (French release titled Images) (1998)
Dorothy's Victory (2002)
Retrospect - compilation album (2001)
Radiant Green (2024)

Drecker's solo albums

Tundra (2000)
Frolic (2005)
Rocks and Straws (2015)
Revelation For Personal Use (2017)