Norwegian musician Øystein Skar, whom we know from Highasakite and LÖV projects, also swims in the waters of minimal electronic/instrumental music in addition to the projects he is involved in. As soon as we enter the Spotify page of the musician, who brings us together with minimal tones through his SkarWorX persona, we immediately feel like a musician from London-based Erased Tapes roaster with a random song we open. Reminiscent of Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm from time to time, SkarWorX blends electronic and industrial sounds with classical music. While feeling the influence of Max Richter, Trentemøller, and Four Tet, we discover the perfect harmony between piano, synthesizers, and strings. SkarWorX’s visual identity, on the other hand, has influences from artists such as Dolk and Banksy, as well as street art, while at the same time the influence of Norwegian painter Håkon Bleken, known for his works in more traditional tones.
Øystein’s first single “Wisdom”, released on March 19, was nominated for the Best Music Video category at the Norwegian Short Film Festival this year.
On top of his music projects, Øystein Skar also composes music for Norwegian television series and theater productions. With his third single, “Mutual Madness”, released on June 25, he heralds his debut album “SEED-X”, which will be released in August. The album, which will be released on Norway’s biggest indie music label Grappa, will be a trilogy. Skar plans to release the second album around the end of 2021 or the beginning of 2022.
The musician composed his last single “Mutual Madness” in a cabin in a national park in Rondane, Norway. The films were also influenced by nature and the extraordinary time we live in. Although he has been involved in pop and indie music projects, Øystein Skar wanted to dedicate a special project to the piano, the instrument he has been working on for years. This is how SkarWorX came to life.
“Between all touring with Highasakite and LÖV, I felt a longing to come back to the piano. It’s an instrument I have dedicated most of my life to, initially as a classical pianist and later as a performing artist in pop and electronica. My vision is to create an imaginative universe for both me and the audience in which we completely separate us from the increasingly hectic world around us”.
– SkarWorX
