Martin Horntveth (known from Jaga Jazzist and The National Bank), aka Gouldian Finch, is finally releasing his first solo album. The album, is titled ‘Hatch’ to keep the bird metaphors alive, is truly a golden egg filled with eclectic musical delights into the experimental dance and electronic pop scenes, with jazz, hip-hop, funk and nu soul influences. Horntveth reveals that he has been contemplating creating this album since the early 2000s, but the process has always been interrupted by some better-paying gig or project. Most importantly, he spent a lot of time trying to ‘land’ on a sound that would encompass everything. It was only when he decided to put everything he loves into the same pot that it clicked, and it made sense to release the music. The singles released ahead of the album have received both positive reviews and radio airplay. Horntveth has brought in top-notch guest vocalists, including Emilie Nicolas, Team Me, Loney Dear, Stella Mwangi and the relatively undiscovered rap talent Vuyo, all leaving their mark on the album with unique and distinctive vocal performances. The album reflects Horntveth’s broad musical interests, delivering a range of songs spanning an impressively wide range of genres. The Norwegian multi-instrumentalist himself plays keyboards, drums and a variety of other instruments on the album, in addition to programming, producing and arranging. Alongside forty string players from his frequently used Fame’s Skopje Studio Orchestra, the album features notable collaborators like Stale Storlokken, Petter Eldh, Hakon Aase, Ivan Blomqvist and Marcus André Berg. It sounds organic, freaky, lively and extrovert, leaving the listener eager to experience the songs live in a concert venue soon. First singles include high profiled remixes from the likes as Pantha Du Prince, Daedelus, Burnt Friedmann and Jamie Lidell.