Associated acts VajasBiosphere | Past members Geir Jenssen | |
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Labels Crammed DiscsNettwerk RecordsIRS/MCA RecordsColumbia/SME Records (France)Dali/Chameleon/Elektra RecordsLava/Atlantic RecordsEMI Records Albums Profiles | ||
Bel Canto is a Norwegian music duo, originally a trio, fronted by vocalist Anneli Drecker, and signed originally to Crammed Discs.
Contents
Biography
The group's first two records were licensed to Nettwerk Records Records in Canada and its second album was licensed to IRS/MCA Records. Its style evolved over time from an ethereal dream pop sound to synth-based pop influenced by world music. The group won the Spellemannprisen award twice, in 1992 and 1996.
During the years from 1985 to 2009, Bel Canto occasionally took breaks in order for Anneli Drecker to pursue a solo career and to perform with other bands and artists, as well as performing in films and theater plays. Nils Johansen composed music for film and television as well as working and performing with his other band, Vajas. Despite these hiatuses, Bel Canto still performs together, 24 years after the band was founded.
In 2007 Bel Canto continued to work together, both by writing new material and by doing more gigs. At the same time, both Drecker and Johansen continued on other projects, Johansen with Vajas and Drecker on her solo work. Side-Line reported in March 2007 that Bel Canto would start work on a new album.
On 6 February 2009, Side-Line reported about a planned double album package called Maskindans: Norsk synth 1980–1988 that was to be released on Hommage Records. This release holds 158 minutes of music, 41 tracks, of which only one song was released on CD before. Included is also one previously unheard Bel Canto song, "Flowerbeds," which dates from 1988.
Albums
Drecker's solo albums
Songs
Det snør - det snør1997
A Shoulder to the WheelBirds of Passage · 1989
SpiderdustShimmering - Warm and Bright · 1992