Anders Knudsen (DØR NR. 13) Releases Solo EP, Illuminations

Today sees the release of the new EP by Danish artist (and DØR NR. 13 guitarist), Anders Knudsen. Illuminations follows on from previously released solo albums: Perils (2013) and Cloudwalker (2016) – both recorded and produced in Berlin by British producer Robbie Moore – and rounds up the circle of the previous two releases. A journey that started over five years ago. A journey which rose from the ashes of years of trying to make it as a musician in London.

“If Perils were the dark horse and Cloudwalker a white horse in a storm. Illuminations is a unicorn standing in a field under a tree eating grass.”

Written from a whole different perspective – more balanced, more at ease – the songwriting this time is more traditional than it was with its two predecessors, although still very similar in style, and pays homage to heroes of the past such as Syd Barrett, Paris Sisters, eighties-David Bowie and The Only Ones.

The style varies from sixties folk into gloomy synth based songs about life, girls and drugs. “One track, ‘My Girl (Sitting In A Room)’ was even written in my pre-London days and therefore dates back to more innocent times. Having survived all these years in the back of my head, the song (about an old girlfriend) captures exactly how life felt back then (in times before trouble); embodies a naive kind of dreaminess, and serves (for me at least) as some kind of time tunnel to simpler days.”

The four tracks on the EP were conceived during summer 2018 in a small studio in Valby, Denmark and produced by Sebastian Munk Autzen. “It all happened within a very chilled and relaxed atmosphere, with no deadline and good friends stopping by to help out, playing a bit here and there.” On third track ‘No Sleep For The Wicked’, a sweet girl group inspired garage rocker that features Knudsen’s yoga instructor, Malo, on siren-like vocals in an outburst of haunting screams of temptation, that probably would make most sailors abandon their ship.

On Illuminations, Anders Knudsen (lead vocals/guitars/bass/drums/percussion) is joined by Per Mølgaard Jørgensen (The Blue Van, DØR NR. 13) on drums/percussion, Hoff-Clausen (DØR NR. 13, Sømændene) on bass/omnichord, Marie-Louise Olsen (Malo) and Nikolaj Paakjær (Hymns From Nineveh) on vocals, and Sebastian Munk Autzen (Paper Tigers, Hymns From Nineveh) on guitars/synths.

Illuminations is out now via AKR/DiGiDi.

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