Instrumental music of the ilk covered by TSB can often be described as 'difficult', in the sense of its ability to confuse and anger as many listeners as it will stimulate and delight.  There is the assumption that this music will either take time and work to enjoy or that it must be endured in order for it to be ultimately admired.  Browen could certainly be lumped into this difficult bracket, as Bjørn Svin reduces the tempo considerably from the incessant techno output he has become known for.  At times sparse and ambient, at others abrasive and confrontational, there is certainly an element of endurance to Browen. But for those with the stomach for it, they are moments to enjoy and savour.

Bjørn cites the likes of Mozart, Steve Reich, Ligeti, Ella Fitzgerald, and African artists such as Baaba Maal as inspiration for this new down-tempo direction. However, without being told of these influences, one would struggle to hear them while listening to Browen. Save from the African flavor of "mOmWree," with its tribal beats and intermittent vocal sample, there is little evidence of those listed to be found. Closer references can be found in the form of the 90s ambient electronica of Autechre and Aphex Twin. The beatless second track, "bowbrow," would fit beautifully on the Icelandic ambient compilation 42 More Things to Do in Zero Gravity, evoking the likes of Worm is Green and Rhythm of Snow, with its high pitched electronic squeaks.

The difficulty with making this sort of minimal electronica is finding the subtle balance between abstract sounds and engaging music. For every track that Bjørn Svin finds this balance ("bowbrow") there is another example where it has been missed ("enRowen"). When the balance is not right, the effect is disorientating and unpleasant; the beats and electronic blips fly around randomly, intermingled with odd samples and discordant bass lines. Trying to peer through the music to find an indefinable something that has been missed soon becomes exhausting, and the time comes to face the fact that perhaps it just isn't there and that the abstract collection of sounds are all there is to be heard.

Bjørn Svin has been described as both a 'playful character' and as the 'naughty boy of the class' by Rump Recordings in the press release for Browen. This playful and cheeky nature is certainly evident throughout the record. At times Svin feels a little bit like a spoilt kid, throwing whatever he wants into the mix in the hope that something great will emerge. At times it does and quite often it doesn't. There is sure to be far more method to his madness than that of course, and tracks such as the album closer "BooO", with a bizarre vocal from Jacob Bellens, provide enough intrigue to keep the listener interested. Unfortunately these moments are too few and far between, and one is left with the overriding impression of an album that is a little too difficult for its own good. 

-Matt Fernell