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Before Erik Skodvin, this time performing as Svarte Greiner and Alexander Rishaug pack guitars, computers and their magical electronic equipment into the suitcases and start their European mini-tour, the duo decided to prepare some kind of appetizer for those who can’t wait to hear all of their tricks live. Simply called mini-album SGAR contains four (possibly improvised) compositions bearing all of the four combinations of their names which sound as preludes to something greater. These are fragments of their usual motives: Svarte Greiner’s quintessential oppressive darkness and Alexander Rishaug’s typical lush mistiness.

ARSG, the introduction into their first collaboration, sets a greyish, unreadable tone. A basic rhythmic pattern comes to a scene, accompanied by layered echoes and mild drones in the background. It won’t be a spoiler to say that the composition doesn’t evolve much during those seven and half minutes of mysterious nothingness: Greiner and Rishaug play a game of patience and uneasy monotony. However, even without an action or a pre-set plot, which are both missing, ARSG doesn’t fade into unnecessary flatness. Subdued strokes of percussion and manipulated, unnoticeable drones offer assistance to that indestructible, static rhythm and create a shelter for those scared of the omnipresent, foggy greyness. SGAR is an unexpected, uncanny, beautifully packaged (in a minimal and cryptic design typical to Sonic Pieces) and much welcome promise of something greater to come.