Since their inception in 2000, the Scandinavian ensemble Atomic has garnered widespread acclaim for creating a completely unique and identifiable sound that seamlessly merges the American and European free jazz traditions. They are equally indebted to the music of Archie Shepp and Derek Bailey, and use these traditions as sources of inspiration — not restrictions on their creativity. The compositions, by Håvard Wiik and Fredrik Ljungkvist, are typical Atomic: thoughtfully constructed melodies alternate with explosive passages by way of fast, unexpected changes.
In 2014 the first change in personal took place: Hans Hulbækmo replaced Paal Nilssen-Love on the drum stool. He is one of the biggest musical talents to come out of Norway in the last years.
Early 2015 this new line-up released the studio album ‘Lucidity’.
(…) on the evidence of the stunning new Lucidity [Hulbaekmo] has made a remarkably smooth, effective transition, powering the group in his own way.(…) While the complexity of the writing might come off as fussy in lesser hands, for Atomic it never feels less than charged, with fresh concepts speeding by breathless moment after breathless moment. (Peter Margasak, Downbeat ****1/2)