Django Novo creates music in different genres and has been presented as a solo artist at several arenas and festivals in Norway including the Oslo Jazz Festival, Hortenfestivalen, Alta Blues & Soul Festival, and byLarm. In 2022 Django Novo - together with long-time collaborator Tov Ramstad - landed a contract with NXN Records (Naxos) and released the album "The Distance" on CD/digital format in March 2023.
Reviews:
★★★★★★★★ 8/10 - Eclipsed Rock Magazin (Germany):
«Django Novo and Tov Ramstad's duo project is more intellectual art than crude pop music. Ramstad's deep cello provides a delightful contrast to Novo's clear voice.»
★★★★ 4/5 - Ivan Rod - journalist, critic, author, and editor (Denmark):
«The lyrics are well-written, and the vocals and accompaniment are clearly intended as a whole - almost a performance. For the same reason, I could easily imagine a VJ having a central role in the live performances. It is very fascinating.
Top track: Let Nothing Happen.»
Jazz-fun.de - Magazin für Jazz Musik (Germany):
"An intriguing narrative and excellent compositions make this album a listening pleasure."
UKVIBE (United Kingdom)
«A beguiling combination of dreamy, atmospheric soundscapes and original songs are the order of the day for this latest release from Norwegian label NXN Recordings. Created by fellow countrymen Django Novo and Tov Ramstad, “The Distance” is a series of wistful compositions that combine a whole host of musical influences – from pop to blues to world to folk to jazz to cinematic to classical and back again – all wrapped up in a blanket of comforting ambience.
The thing I love about this kind of music is how easy it is to let the imagination run wild. It’s like listening to a make-believe film score, one where I can create my own characters and plot, through visual ideas and emotional input. To this end, I get the feeling that Novo and Ramstad are natural storytellers themselves, with their music incorporating all the key elements needed to let my imagination run free.
Django Novo performs vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards, and percussion, with Tov Ramstad playing cello, double bass, electric bass, piano, keyboards, and percussion.
To further expand their sound and vision, the duo invited a selection of musicians to add trumpet, keyboards, harmonica, lap steel guitar, accordion, flute, strings, piano, percussion, and even therevox custom instrument. Samples and electronic treatments also play a part in this dreamy offering. Everything is pieced together with skilful aplomb, resulting in an intriguing offering for lovers of ambient / song-writing music.
Making music such as this is an artful craft in itself. It does however sometimes detract from a necessary prerequisite; that the compositions have an innate strength to them. In the case of “The Distance”, it’s a bit of a mixed bag to be honest. There are moments of brilliance – the fiercely distinctive “The Screen You Look Upon” and “Time Travel” being two cases in point – mixed with a sometimes slightly confusing set of songs/tunes. For me personally, the vocals work well on some tracks but leave me wishing they weren’t there on others. Overall though, the combinations of instruments and ideas work well together, and I can only tip my hat in appreciation to the two eclectic musicians who have put this album together.»
Mike Gates
Lyrics written by DN. Songs composed by DN and TR, except 1,3,4 and 8 by DN.
At the present time, DN is focusing mainly on studio work - mostly solo with the occasional collaboration - venturing into dramatic, scenographic pop, and electronic music.
Lives and works in Oslo and Mjøsa, Norway.
Oslo, March 2023.
Update feb 2024: Recordings with Johan Zachrisson (Zilverzurf), feb, mars 2024. Reggae and dub + more.