Bjørn Riis, the lead guitarist, composer, and producer for the Norwegian Prog Rock band Airbag, as well as an established solo artist based in Oslo, reaches a significant milestone with “Divergence.” This new four-track mini-album, released on November 13, 2026, via Karisma Records, will be available in limited edition marbled vinyl, CD, and digital formats. It fits seamlessly into Riis’ extensive solo catalog, which began in 2014 with “Lullabies in a Car Crash.” His solo trajectory has continued through releases such as “Forever Comes to an End” (2017), “Coming Home” (2018), “A Storm Is Coming” (2019), “Desolate Place” (2020), “Everything to Everyone” (2022), the EP “A Fleeting Glimpse” (2022), the album “Fimbulvinter” (2025), and the live recording “Lifandi” (2026). Largely written during the sessions for “Fimbulvinter,” “Divergence” serves as the ideal conclusion to a strictly personal trilogy initiated by that 2025 album and continued with “Lifandi.” The record provides Riis with the space to explore sonic directions and songwriting nuances that did not find a home in his previous works. In perfect alignment with our editorial focus, the project continues the brilliant trajectory of the Norwegian musician’s solo career, reaffirming his distinct signature: Atmospheric Progressive Rock with a Nordic touch, underpinned by mature songwriting that balances classic sonorities with modern elements. The album opens with “Carry Me,” a piece exceeding six minutes that immediately immerses the listener in a dense, enveloping atmosphere. From the opening bars, the executive choice underlying the entire project becomes clear: Bjørn Riis handles all instruments personally, constructing a sonic architecture upon which his warm, expressive vocals rest. Refined guitar work charts the course of the track, alternating between melodic textures and instrumental evolutions that highlight Riis’ status as a key figure in the Norwegian prog scene, both in band contexts and as a solo artist. The core of the mini-album solidifies with “Mercy,” the chosen lead single and the expressive peak of the release. This is a dark, highly atmospheric composition where Riis’ evocative guitar accompanies the vocals, creating a piece defined by its somber and atmospheric depth. Stylistically, the track fuses Nordic Atmospheric Prog with marked references to the American singer-songwriter tradition, addressing themes of change, hope, and healing from emotional trauma. The dramatic and lyrical weight of the song is perfectly reflected in the artist’s own words: “It’s about healing from emotional trauma and the realization that you can’t do it alone.” The vocal interplay between Riis guitar and vocals infuses the structure with intense emotional charge, transforming the track into a testament of significant artistic depth. Sonic tension develops further with “Break Free,” a nearly six-minute track where Bjørn widens the scope of his sound, deviating toward arrangement solutions that depart from the traditional rails of his past records. The texture of the song unfolds around solid, layered songwriting, where modern hooks are grafted onto a Progressive framework without disturbing the balance of the parts. The guitar continues to play a guiding role, developing dense, enveloping harmonic solutions that confirm the musician’s executive maturity. The work concludes with the suite “When I Think of You,” the most extended and structured composition on the mini-album. In this final chapter, the 70s Rock, Classic Rock, and Progressive roots that form the musician’s cultural matrix emerge clearly, synthesized into a sonically dense panorama. It is an enveloping track where Bjørn’s guitar and warm vocals intertwine in an intense duet with Norwegian singer Mimmi Tamba. The track’s evolution leaves ample room for instrumental passages where Riis’ multi-instrumentalism is displayed in its full completeness, sealing the album with a finale of strong emotional and atmospheric impact. On the technical and production front, the sonic quality of “Divergence” is guaranteed by the mixing and mastering handled by long-time collaborator Vegard Kleftås Sleipnes. The visual presentation accurately mirrors the themes of contrast and change explored in the music, featuring cover photography shot by Riis himself at the Rubjerg Knude lighthouse in Denmark, with graphic design by Asle Tostrup, frontman of Airbag. Ultimately, “Divergence” stands not as a mere offshoot or appendix to “Fimbulvinter,” but as a successful and autonomous completion of the trilogy initiated in 2025. In perfect adherence to the artist’s solo musical path, the album represents another valuable release for Bjørn Riis, capable of renewing the universe of Atmospheric Progressive Rock with elegance and maturity, while avoiding commercial shortcuts.
Tracklist
01. Carry Me (06:18)
02. Mercy (05:47)
03. Break Free (05:59)
04. When I Think of You (07:16)
Lineup
Bjørn Riis / Everything
Guest:
Mimmi Tamba on Vocals (Track 04)