Review: Kronstad 23 - Dødehavet (Batov Records)

Kronstad 23 are Norwegian  friends who sound like Jerry Garcia and Coco Chatru on the edge of a wood, fjord, beach, naturalist camp with a perfectly 8-track album of Scandi-cool, 'Dødehavet' !

 

Batov Records have already treated us to Bolbec's' 'Foutu Félin' (see review HERE) earlier this month and end it with this "richly cinematic collection of instrumental music that feels less like a record and more like an imaginary film" that's jazzy, libarary, psych rock with a smattering of Scandinavian folk, global influeneces and summer heat!

They recorded the tracks live to tape at keys player Øyvind Arnodd Vie Berg's Bergen home studio, most tracks were captured in one or two takes using a 50-year-old console and tape recorder, with no post-production intervention - perhaps that's why it's got a Grateful Dead 'live' vibe..

The group's first two albums drew praise from Record Collector, Prog Magazine and Sweden's Lira; Dødehavet marks a step further into collective propulsion and rhythm, with jazz, soul, folk, Afrobeat and raga merging into what the band describe as a single, unforced language.

Tracks range from gospel-tinged soul ('Menigheten') and Latin-inflected rock ('Stratosfæren') to heavy Afrobeat ('Høytrykk) and modal jazz ('Bolverk'), all unified by a loose, improvisational feel rooted in collective instinct over rehearsal.

It is a tour de force and super cool, let it all hang out and be free.... but not too free.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: Dødehavet | Kronstad 23

Artist: Kronstad 23

Title:  Dødehavet 

Release date: 29th May, 2026

Label: Batov Records 

Cat. No: BTR137

Format:  LP vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Ori Kaplan & Lihu Melamed - Reverie (Batov Records)

This is not 'A Forest' but a deep delve into a jazz/OST 'Reverie' by new best friends Ori Kaplan an Lihu Melamed on Batov Records!

 

A neat follow up to Batov Records' last two released albums; Bolbec's' 'Foutu Félin' (see review HERE), Kronstad 23's 'Dødehavet' (see review HERE), here's another in the leftfield jazzy, cinematic, libarary, global, folky psych!

Not surprising really as Ori Kaplan (a founding member of Balkan Beat Box and collaborator of Gogol Bordello) joins forces with engineer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Lihu Melamed for the debut album, 'Reverie'.

The cinematic elements come from "unhurried grooves" and "modal strings" whilst the jazz is where the tracks are lead by  baritone sax and flutey winds that can get you into late-night clubs, folky weddings and more that's been said to range form "Morricone desert soundtracks and Nino Rota's Rome to Mingus, Yusef Lateef, Klezmer modes, Middle Eastern textures and the psychedelic sweep of King Crimson and The Doors".    

'Amber' (featuring Itamar Zieger)' and 'Obelisk' are perhaps typical as it taps on many of the above but it turns out this combo came out of sessions for Balkan Beat Box's sixth album and includes drummer Tamir Muskat and contributions from Kaplan's own children and partner.

I wonder if there's any plans for a project with Kronstad 23 for a full Scandiavian forest whcih might be too much; but check out the cover image - shades of Edward Woodward/Britt Ekland in the original version of 'The Wicker Man'?  

Don't be scared off by the cover, this is a beautiful 11 track experience for any lost souls looking to be found (the track 'Lost Soul' features Yaron Ouzana on trombone).

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: Reverie | Ori Kaplan & Lihu Melamed

Artist: Ori Kaplan & Lihu Melamed

Title:  Reverie

Release date: 12th June, 2026

Label: Batov Records 

Cat. No: BTR134

Format:  LP vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Hill Collective - Fire In Orbit (Batov Records)

This is a 'Fire In Orbit' that's as if its been sent by Sun Ra himself and has landed on Batov Records - don't get burned, order now!

 

Batov Records' last three released albums; Bolbec's' 'Foutu Félin' (see review HERE), Kronstad 23's 'Dødehavet' (see review HERE), and Ori Kaplan & Lihu Melamed's 'Reverie' (see review HERE) were at the leftfield jazzy, cinematic, libarary, glogal, folky psych end, Brighton's Hill Collective are at the Sun Ra end and they're hot!

For a debut album, its even more impressive that these jazz-adjacents on the south coast have migrated locally in 3 years of gigs and festival appearances (Love Supreme and The Great Escape).

We're told that the tracks were recorded over three unhurried days at Sea Breeze Studios by the band themselves, the album moves through chorus–solo–chorus forms, call-and-response and collective improvisation — led by alto saxophonist Pete Piskov and a flexible, often double-digit ensemble whose influences (Eric Dolphy's angular lyricism, Art Ensemble of Chicago's collective consciousness, touches of Latin rhythm and Arabic modality) are absorbed rather than quoted.

Don't be scared off by the cover or the mild-mannered single, 'A House Is A Home Like Honey', the other 3 lengthy tracks, the title track, 'Keep Breathing' and 'A Song for A Blossom Baby' are all spiritually deep. .

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: Fire In Orbit | Hill Collective

Artist: Hill Collective 

Title: Fire In Orbit

Release date: 17th July, 2026

Label: Batov Records 

Cat. No: BTR137

Format:  LP vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Pete Piskov - Alto Saxophone, Percussion

Joe Edwards - Drumkit, Congas, Percussion
Joe Snelling - Double Bass
Luke Congdon - Piano (1, 3, 4), Keys (2)
Chris Luu - Keys (1, 3, 4), Piano (2), Vocals
Vincent Malloch - Electric Guitar
Will Roberts - Trombone
Ivy Loska - Cornet
Jay Orpana - Flute, Vocals
Max Generowicz - Violin (3, 4)
Sudhi S Pooniyil - Tabla (4)

All compositions by Pete Piskov
Recorded by Joe Edwards and Will Roberts at Sea Breeze Studios
Mixed by Pete Piskov
Mastered by Will Roberts