Powerful and unstoppable, then fragile and almost weightless, always in motion. NORLYZ call their new sonic cosmos “Älven” – a Swedish word for a river, as well as an image for music that absorbs, transforms and carries forward places, moods and influences. Jazz, techno and global sounds flow into one another, shaped by the diverse musical paths of the four musicians. NORLYZ combine the energy of a club set with the unpredictability of a live ensemble – music you can immerse yourself in, but also simply follow and let move you.

“Älven” is the natural evolution of what has driven NORLYZ since their formation – not to blur the boundary between acoustic and electronic music, but to make it resonate. The album emerged directly from the interplay of the quartet and draws on four years of shared live experience. The horn lines of Philipp Püschel and Lasse Golz move between razor-sharp precision and airy playfulness, while Gábor Hartyáni’s cello traces its own arcs through the sound with delicate lines, flowing pizzicato grooves and its raw, shimmering tone. Paul David Heckhausen’s synthesizers, handpan and percussion connect these acoustic voices with analogue electronic soundscapes and precisely crafted sound design. Heckhausen’s sensitive, detail-oriented production style gives the interplay depth and space, creating sonic environments that can open up unexpectedly and just as suddenly become more condensed. Jazz improvisation meets the tight precision of techno-driven structures. Compared to their debut First Dawn On Planet B., “Älven” has become darker, more playful, more jazz-oriented and more organic, without losing its technoid pull. Not a DJ set with a horn section, not a jazz band with a beat added on – NORLYZ are building their own riverbank.

Constantly in motion, “Älven” oscillates between intimacy and expansiveness, melancholy and energy. Each of the ten tracks develops its own horizon while leaving room for the listeners’ own images and memories. At times, dark, floating soundscapes unfold; at others, deep sequences and pulsating grooves drive the music forward. In “Écho”, the voice of Swiss-Moroccan singer Malika Alaoui settles like fog over the sonic landscape, while Iranian musician Elshan Ghasimi recites an excerpt from the Persian epic Shāhnāme in “Schāhnāme”. It is a moment in which the album’s epic and mystical expansiveness becomes particularly immediate. Rather than following a linear narrative, the album unfolds as a series of distinct scenes, leaving space for the listeners’ imagination.

This sense of movement extends beyond the music itself. NORLYZ conceive their concerts as a complete experience of sound, light and dramaturgy – a continuous arc from the first fragile note to the final grand moment. Since their formation in 2022, the band has developed this distinctive path at festivals such as Fusion, Elbjazz, Detect Classic and 3000Grad, at international festivals in Cyprus and Luxembourg, as well as at Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, Sisyphos Berlin and Knust Hamburg. With “Älven”, they further expand their sonic territory – towards hybrid spaces between philharmonic hall and open field, between concert and euphoria – where different currents meet and flow together into something greater.

The album will be released on 23 October 2026 via NORLYZ Music on CD and digitally, with the double vinyl following on 6 November 2026.