Wooli – Wooli (2026)
Wooli is the exploratory project of Taiwanese pipa player Fan-Qi Wu and Norwegian drummer Michael Lee Sørenmo as well as the title of the debut album. The avant-garde folk duo formed in Oslo and gave its first performance there in April 2024. Since then, Wu and Sørenmo have performed across Europe, including appearances at Aarhus Jazz Festival in Denmark, Vestafor Festival in Norway, Babel Sound Festival in Hungary, and (s)Nodi Festival in Bologna.
The nine-track album features compositions developed by the duo over three years. It was recorded and mixed by Johannes Lundberg at Studio Epidemin in Gothenburg between 2024 and 2025, with mastering by Karl Klaseie at Øra Studio.
The album features a mix of traditional East Asian music, free improvisation, and experimental forms, with pipa, drum kit, and Korean percussion at its center. It also includes guest appearances by Italian organetto player Simone Bottasso on track 4 and South Korean double bassist dongyi on track 2.
Fan-Qi Wu performs pipa, while Michael Lee Sørenmo plays drums. Yu Liu / u_u.designlabo handled the album design, and Fang-Chen “Molly” Chou served as album coordinator.
Author: Tyler Bennet
