A decade has passed since the release of Einar Stray Orchestra’s critically acclaimed debut album Chiaroscuro. To celebrate the 10 years anniversary the Norwegian band will do an exclusive tour in March 2022. With the one-time return of original member violinist Hanna Furuseth in the line-up, the quintet will play the album from start to finish in some of Germany’s finest venues: From the new 886 million Euros worth Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, to Berlin’s 1909 crematory Silent Green, to one of the countries oldest cinemas UT Connewitz in Leipzig, but also the historical Palác Akropolis in Prague. – I still can’t fully comprehend how we managed to make that album. Only 20 years old. We didn’t know anything. I guess the naivety made it come together, frontman Einar Stray reflects. «The lovechild of Sufjan Stevens and Godspeed You! Black Emperor» recorded and mixed the album in only two weeks – on the second floor of a gravestone factory in Oslo winter 2010. Mostly playing everything themselves, members from Team Me, Moddi, Bendik, Youth Pictures of Florence Henderson, and the producer Sjur Lyseid (The Little Hands of Asphalt) offered their contributions. The songs range from noisy post-rock to catchy indie pop, uncompromisingly uniting classical music with pop and rock that might send your mind in the direction of Sigur Rós and Arcade Fire. Contrasts is a red thread though-out, both lyrically and musically. Hence the title Chiaroscuro which refers to the Renaissance painting technique using strong contrasts between light and dark. – We don’t normally look back. Surprisingly doing so has sparked inspiration. To listen to the first album again and reflect upon those early years really gave us perspective, Stray says. The album only received praise from the press. UK’s The 405 gave it 9 out of 10 and called it «outstanding piece of art» and German Rote Raupe wrote that it was «ein Meisterwerk!». Norway’s biggest paper Aftenposten stated that «Einar Stray delights, surprises, fascinates and captivates». After seing the band at Reeperbahn Festival GAFFA described it as «a revelation of beauty» to 6 out of 6 stars. It included underground hits like Caressed, Arrows and Yr Heart Isn’t A Heart. The album was released by Berlin’s Sinnbus and Norway’s Spoon Train, and licensed to labels like Impartmaint in Japan. On the long release tour over half of the shows were sold-out. The album would send the youngsters to festivals in Moscow, Shanghai, Reykjavik, Wien, London and Transylvania. They toured with acts like Olafúr Arnalds, Múm, Hundreds, Me and My Drummer, Moddi and Under Byen. Since then the Norwegian indie rock gem has sharpened their expression. After two more critically acclaimed albums, two EPs, 300 concerts in Europe and Asia, and solid radio rotation in UK and Germany, the collective has become one of Norway's most experienced and playful acts. The band, known for their close (and Norwegian Grammy winning) collabs with Moddi and Cezinando, write songs about their religious upbringing, their love-hate relationship with Oslo and their «Peace Prize»-country’s double moral. The tour is presented by Byte.Fm, Ask Helmut, Neølyd, Rausgegangen, Untoldency, Cabin Artists and Sinnbus.