Heavily influenced by his love of Hans Zimmer and classical music, Knut Ingmar Merødningen is a Norwegian music artist who creates cinematic, ambient, and cyberpunk music. In addition to making music, Knut also enjoys creating fractal art, animations, and VFX. In April 2022, Knut released two albums containing a whopping 67 songs. One of these is the 37-track “Beginnings” album. This is music that transcends listening into a full experience that sounds full yet floating through a vastness of space, time and events. It is not meant for mere listening or background music, but as an immersive adventure.

“Beginnings” is the kind of album that high quality sound systems are made for, the near endlessness of its textures, tones and rhythms hang in the air as if never finding a place to rest. Varying melodies and an endless pool of layers are actuated by the electronic-driven orchestral instrumentation, loops and samples. While listening to the album one may imagine powerful actions, images and emotions liked watching a movie. The complexity and sound of it all, assures it will be perfect gold for anyone who happens to strike upon it.

At 100 minutes long, the album may initially seem to be overly lengthy, especially for the listener to be able to stay in a motionless state long enough for an entire listen, but the patience is significantly rewarded. This is cinematic ambiance at its finest.

While ambient or cinematic instrumental music can be a bit of trouble to get into for some listeners, Knut Ingmar Merødningen provides a blend of dynamic arrangements where sounds, melodies and moods create intoxicating soundscapes that capture and hold your attention throughout.

From the opening title track, “Beginnings”, Knut’s attention to detail on is astounding-every beat pattern, or voice, is expertly crafted, always evolving, never static or boring. Every sample is brilliantly placed, every song evolving at its own pace.

Never once does the album sound forced or constrained, as Knut lets his compositions flow and evolve naturally, often leading to songs rich in atmosphere and dynamics. Much like Hans Zimmer, Knut’s style of composing is particularly powerful as he searches for the emotional core of the music, more than a simple melodies or ear-catching tunes.

All of this often brings music with dark, heavy atmospheres, and strong, tangible moods. Knut Ingmar Merødningen finds his sonic balance in a variety of musical configurations, from piano-driven tracks like “Phantom Rest” to string dominating excursions, like “Epic Suspense”, synth-flavored arrangements like “They Come”, or choral- tinged atmospheres like “Drive For Freedom” – which was written with the thoughts of Ukraine in mind – as well as, predominant woodwind auras, like “Mystic Phantoms”, or the brass infusions like “Marching For Honor”.

Each song on this recording, regardless of the dominant instrumentation, is rich in lavish atmospheres and orchestrations. “Beginnings” is a wonderful album of propelling cinematic orchestrations, contrasted by vast impassioned timbral planes.

As we run through tracks like, “High Born City”, “Alliance With The Unknown” or “Ministry For A Lonely Soul”, it becomes clear that The music of Knut Ingmar Merødningen rises many cuts above much of the so-called indie ambient and cinematic producers, and keeps the intellect and emotions searching through the subject matter of his tracks.

Moving forward through tracks like “Night is Your Land”, “Outer Space Explorations” and the album closer, “Stormfront”, we realize this instrumental adventure has managed to, transport listeners to another dimension through the power of sound. It offers a mind-opening doorway to the very essence of our deepest imaginations and emotions. With Knut Ingmar Merødningen’s compositions, you do not just hear sounds; you actually see pictures in your mind!

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