By Justin Smulison
Kay Olsen is the multi-instrumentalist mastermind behind Agropelter, whose stunning debut, The Book of Hours, was recently released by the Lasers Edge. Hours is an instrumental odyssey rooted in classic progressive rock but infused with a cinematic and otherworldly sensibility. From the opening notes, it’s clear that Olsen is a meticulous architect of sound, layering vintage synths, church organ, Mellotron, and guitar textures to build an atmosphere that feels both vast and intimate.
What makes the album so compelling is its immersive, almost hypnotic quality. Tracks like “Levitator” and the four-part suite bearing album’s title don’t just unfold—they bloom, revealing rich sonic details with each listen. There’s a surreal, dreamlike logic to the arrangements, where Rachmaninoff-esque passages coexist with Floydian ambience, and bursts of rhythmic complexity bring to mind King Crimson at their most unhinged.
Olsen’s collaborators—including Karmakanic’s Jonas Reingold on fretless bass (who provides a Jaco Pastorius-like quality) and White Widow’s Mattias Olsson on percussion and synths—add a layered elegance without ever overshadowing the album’s core vision. Classical woodwinds and strings appear like ghosts drifting in and out of the mix, enhancing the album’s uncanny beauty.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Olsen, to discuss how he wrote the Book of Hours and how it is an overwhelmingly successful exercise in exploration. The Book of Hours is both a tribute to the golden era of prog and a bold, personal statement for this Norwegian musician.
Clips: “Levitator” and “The Book Of Hours Part II.”
AGROPELTER
https://www.instagram.com/agropelter
https://lasersedge.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/thelasersedge
https://www.facebook.com/TheLasersEdge
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