''I’d spend hours in HMVs, Virgin Megastores and second-hand record shops staffed by greasy-haired 40-year-olds dressed as 20-year-olds, listening to contemporary music of every genre – Britrock, heavy maiden, gang rap, brakebeat,'' writes Alan Partridge in I Partridge: We Need To Talk About Alan. ''And I came to a startling but unshakeable conclusion: no genuinely good music has been created since 1988.”

Partridge is of course a monstrous, reliably preposterous, fictional, creation. He has never heard of Aadal. Probably just as well. Less a-ha more white light moments led by guitarist Michael Aadal with tenor saxophonist André Kassen, bassist Audun Ramo and drummer Gunnar Sæter Voyager was recorded in a Kristansand studio. Nearly all the tunes and arrangements are by Aadal. An ''it'll never happen again'' meeting of minds impression is inescapable given Voyager's lightning strike qualities. And there is also that humane John Abercrombie-esque simmering power.

l-r Audun Ramo, André Kassen, Gunnar Sæter, Michael Aadal

Aadal take their time. They give a lot. You get a lot back too.

Out on the Norwegian label Losen (photo: press) UK CD release is on 7 July. Available through Proper. UK dates, click for details, this autumn tantalise