Tellé started life as a Bergen record shop in 1995 before establishing themselves as a label two years later. The shop has since been and gone, but Tellé the label went on to release material by everybody who’s anybody in the Bergen scene over the last decade.
Their second ever release was Röyksopp’s ‘So Easy’, instantly familiar to Britons, which was followed up with singles by Annie, Ralph Myerz & the Jack Herren Band, Bjørn Torske, Kings of Convenience, Datarock and King Midas. Tellé is arguably the single most important force in the shaping of the acclaimed Bergen music scene, giving numerous key artists their breakthrough, and fostering a real sense of community and collaboration amongst Bergen bands, despite the often drastically differing mix of genres the label accommodates. Perhaps the label’s defining moment was the 2000 release of a Tellé compilation album, a collection of cracking tracks including songs by several of the aforementioned heavyweights. Tellé Records went on extended hiatus in 2004 after some money problems, but founder Mikal Tellé recently decided that the time was right for a second coming.
With the revival now in full swing, on the 18th of August Tellé will release a limited edition compilation titled Opplett, showcasing seven tracks from seven of the hottest new Bergen bands around in the hope of giving the city’s music scene another shot in the arm.
Opplett has been put together by Mr Tellé himself and Tellé veteran Erlend Øye, and was originally never intended to be given a label release; rather it would just be something sold at gigs and passed by hand. Given Øye’s involvement it is perhaps unsurprising that the tracklist includes a song by his Kings of Convenience partner Eirik Bøe’s Bergen-based band Kommode, whose sound, incidentally, is most easily compared to, uhm, The Whitest Boy Alive. They are still lovely though.
One of the other artists selected for the compilation, Flemmet Buen, guitarist in up-and-comers Fjorden Baby! revealed to PlanB.no that he thinks the initiative is “fokking beautiful man”, going on to gush that ‘this is exactly what all the bands on the list need.’
The tracklist looks like this:
Fjorden Baby! - «Karoline»
Kommode - «Houses for birds»
John Olav Nilsen & Gjengen - «Diamanter og kirsebær»
The New Wine - «I had to tell you»
Razika - «Kommando»
Di Kjipe - «Nederlag»
Lars - «Skisse 1»
And you can snap up a copy here.
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2 Responses to “Tellé offer up best of Bergen compilation”
montscottish - September 2nd, 2008 at 20:59
How do I get a copy, please?
Tusen takk!
Andrew.
Andreas Larssen - September 3rd, 2008 at 14:40
I don’t know if it has national distribution yet, but it can be ordered here: http://houseoftelle.com/shop/