Origo Sound is a Norwegian independent record label formed in 1990 in Norway by Harald Lervik. The initiative to start the label was taken after Tormod Opedal, an employee in Lervik's software company, in 1989 had decided to close his own label Cicada which had released two albums by the Norwegian composer Erik Wøllo. Wøllo had a new album ready to be released, and Origo Sound was formed the year after, with two albums launched in the autumn 1990, of which one was the new Wøllo album
Origo Sound's major successes were the two albums by Biosphere, Microgravity and Patashnik. Hailed by Norwegian and international press for setting the standard for what was to become known as ambient techno, the albums were followed by two more albums on the label, Substrata and the movie soundtrack Insomnia.
Up until 2007, all but one of the albums released were by Norwegian bands and artists. The one exception was the Finnish duo Dystopia's album The Second Dawn in 1998, but Harald Lervik says this was purely coincidental.http://news.planetorigo.com/article.php?poarticle_id=117 In 2010, the label released its first CD of original music since 2004.
Over the years, Origo Sound has released albums in a variety of styles, all founded in various electronic music subgenres. The first few years were dominated by a mix of styles ranging from new-age music to ethnic and techno. The mid 1990s saw some techno influenced albums, while in the recent past the label has moved in the direction of ambient and experimental music. The melodic approach is also covered in the catalogue.
In 2007, Origo Sound was merged into Planet Origo, an Estonian company owned by Norwegian investors, including Harald Lervik. In October that year, the label released its first CD since 2004, the sampler Planet Origo, as a warm-up to future releases. In 2013, Origo Sound was re-established as an independent, Norwegian record label.
Discography This list is organized by release year. Titles are full-length albums unless otherwise mentioned.
Year Artist Title Comment1990Erik WølloImages of LightGreen IsacStrings and pottery1991Karsten BrustadIntarsiaBiosphereMicrogravityBiosphereThe fairy tale12" vinyl singleLangsomt Mot NordHildring1992Green IsacHappy endingsErik WølloSolstice1994BiospherePatashnikKarsten BrustadCape WestNeural NetworkBrain-state-in-a-boxSverre Knut JohansenDistant Shore1995Eyeman ReelBird ColonyNeural NetworkModernitéErik WølloFossegrimenBook + CD, joint release with CappelenBiosphereNovelty wavesCD singleEyeman ReelCyber DelhiCD single1997CurrentEnter the DreamCircularNanotopiaBiosphereInsomniaBiosphereSubstrataExileDimension DExile = Erik WølloVarious artistsFuture ProofLabel sampler/compilation1998DystopiaThe second dawn1999Sverre Knut JohansenThe source of energy2001CurrentMusik2002Living DreamtimeExploring the Water Element2003CurrentCommunionCurrentGhost tripCD single2004CircularGlass Darkly2007Various artistsPlanet OrigoLabel sampler/compilation2010NemesisGigaherz2012Sverre Knut JohansenPlanets2013SynthXNoxiaThe label's first ever 2CD2013Pertti GrönholmWinterplanet2013Super FataStructural Tendency
See also Electronic music Progressive electronic music Computer music Dance music Electronic art music Ishkur's Guide to Electronic Music Synthesizer Electronic dance music
References
External links Official website Interview with founder Harald Lervik Erik Wøllo official website Biosphere official website Living Dreamtime official website Karsten Brustad biography at mic.no Green Isac official website Circular official website Current official website Sverre Knut Johansen official website