'Blossom Bells' is the long awaited follow-up of drummer and percussionist Erland Dahlen's critically acclaimed solo debut album, 'Rolling Bomber' (Hubro, 2012). Uncut's reviewer said that Erland's "one-man band-in-a-box sounds fuller and more imaginative than many 'post-rock' quartets", while Rock-A-Rolla described the debut album as "finely judged and creatively individual". Erland´s second album has a playful, richly visual mood, but is also quite dark and menacing in places. Elements of krautrock, drone music, ambient music and contemporary music are woven together here with dark, rock-inspired energy. The album is named after the legendary instrument-maker Pete Engelhart's unusual chromatic set of bells, "Blossom Bells", which Erland plays in several places on the album. He also plays a variety of percussion instruments, saw, electronic instruments and some specially constructed instruments, such as cake moulds with springs. The collection of instruments used on the album is extensive, imaginative and unique. His new compositions are often inspired by improvisations based on the exploration of fascinating sounds. Erland plays all the instruments himself, as on the previous record, but has produced the album with Johnny Skalleberg as well as with Jens Petter Nilsen and Hallvard W. Hagen from the electronica duo Xploding Plastix - a group Erland has worked together with for over a decade.
