Espen Sommer Eide began playing flute and trumpet in his native Norway when he was only six years old, and from that point on, his interests in music took off. For a brief period he played drums in a local band, continued playing flute, and taught himself guitar (and later accordion). In 1996, Eide began working with computers, samples, and digitally treated instruments to arrive at a sort of organic style of ambient electronica. In 1998, he presented a track created in this manner to Geir Jenssen, who, in addition to being a musician from the same small Norwegian town, was in the process of setting up Biophon Records. Enthusiastic about the music, Jenssen requested more songs from Eide, and he obliged. The result was Phonophani, the first official release on Biophon. Eide prepared a second album, a collaboration with guitarist/noisemaker Dag-Are Haugan titled ALOG, for release in the summer of 1999 on Norwegian label Rune Grammofon. He followed with work on the follow-up to Phonophani. ~ Stanton Swihart