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Soft Ffog: Focus

By Glenn Astarita
August 27, 2025
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Track review of "Oh Jimi"

Soft Ffog, a Norwegian jazz-prog quartet from Bergen, emerged with their self-titled debut in 2023. Led by guitarist

Tom Hasslan

guitar, electric

" data-original-title="" title="">Tom Hasslan, the band features keyboardist

Vegard Lien Bjerkan

keyboards

" data-original-title="" title="">Vegard Lien Bjerkan, drummer

Axel Skalstad

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Axel Skalstad and bassist

Trond Frønes

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Trond Fr?nes. With nods to 1970s giants like Camel,

Focus

band / ensemble / orchestra

" data-original-title="" title="">Focus

Soft Machine

band / ensemble / orchestra
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Soft Machine and

" data-original-title="" title="">Mahavishnu Orchestra, they blend intricate prog rock with improvisational jazz, evoking a retro spirit that feels fresh rather than dated.

Their 2025 sophomore album Focus sharpens this vision across four sprawling tracks, marking a striking evolution in their collective voice. The record builds on their distinctive fusion, delivering a more dynamic and exploratory soundscape, filled with refined arrangements and exhilarating instrumental passages that push their progressive jazz ambitions further.

Each composition reinforces their gift for elaborate writing, weaving together shifting rhythms and soaring themes. Yet the closer "Oh Jimi" commands the spotlight with its ten-minute odyssey. A sly wink to

Jimi Hendrix

guitar, electric
1942 - 1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Jimi Hendrix, it erupts with rollicking, muscular riffs that hit like a polar vortex, driven by a rhythm section tighter than cheap jeans. Hasslan's guitar coils through unexpected turns, while Bjerkan's echo-drenched keys spread a cosmic haze over a handful of thundering choruses. The jam slides into the keyboardist's shadowy and menacing build, which morphs into the band's reinvention of the main theme, as if Jimi's ghost were smirking, "Not bad, Vikings." Wild and electrifying, "Oh Jimi" crowns Focus as a prog triumph that leaves you compelled to hit replay.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Camel; Pocus; Focus; Oh Jimi.

Personnel

Tom Hasslan

guitar, electric

Axel Skalstad

drums

Trond Frones

bass, electric

Vegard Lien Bjerkan

keyboards

Album information

Title: Focus | Year Released: 2025 | Record Label: Is It Jazz?

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