Fleshquartet

Biography

Starting as a string quartet, Fleshquartet (in Swedish: Fläskkvartetten ) turned into an experimental group mixing classical music with modern beats and influences from rock music — as well as oriental and Nordic folk music — while later becoming more ambient. The group also co-operated with a great number of other artists during the late ’80s and from then on. Apart from recording albums they wrote film soundtracks and music for modern ballet/theatre.

After recording an album together with the American composer Moondog, three more albums were recorded in the late eighties. These were followed by intense touring, taking Fleshquartet to perform at New Music Seminar in New York, as well as in the last—ever televised show of the Soviet Union.

The album ‘Flow’, released in 1993, became Fleshquartet’s most successful record during the ’90s. “Pärlor Från Svin”, an album released in 1995, was mainly instrumental. On “Fire Fire”, released the following year, the heavy rhythms and aggressive strings had been turned into a more ambient soundscape. The same year, Fleshquartet played with Neneh Cherry and Youssou N’Dour on the hit “Seven Seconds”.

In 2000, the group was asked by choreographer Mats Ek (whose previous collaborations include the BBC production “Wet Woman”, for Sylvie Guillem) to write music for a new work — the piece “Appartement” — that was ordered by the Paris Opera Garnier. In 2003 their collaboration with Ek continued. This piece was called “Fluke” and written for the world renowned Cullberg Ballet. Both of these dance works have been performed frequently on the dance scenes around the world — often with music performed live by Fleshquartet. And in 2007 Fleshquartet and Ek collaborated again with “Place”, performed by Mikhail Baryshnikov and Ana Laguna. In 2009 the collaborative efforts of Fleshquartet and Ek resulted in a series of performances by the Cuban company Contemporary Danza de Cuba.

In the year 2010 the group mainly worked with recording the original soundtrack to thirteen new Wallander-movies. Subsequently a CD containing selected parts of the music was released in early 2011.

Fleshquartet line-up 2013:
Örjan Högberg: Viola
Sebastian Öberg: Cello
Mattias Helldén: Cello
Christian Olsson: Percussion, Sampling, Computer

Fleshquartet Discography:
Köttbit — 1987
What´s your pleasure — 1988
Goodbye Sweden — 1990
Fläskkvartetten med Västerås sinfonietta — 1992
Flow — 1993
Pärlor från svin — 1995
Fire Fire — 1996
Jag gör vad som helst för lite solsken — 1998
Love Go — 2000
Pärlor från svin 2 — 2002
Vita Droppar — 2003
Voices of Eden — 2007
Wallander, The Music — 2011

Photo by Cato Lein