What began as a one-off experiment in the Danish countryside has grown into something truly special. Here’s the story behind the Paper Trio and how it led to our upcoming release, Hippo Road, out on November 22nd.

It started when Thomas Agergaard was invited to perform at a paper museum in rural Denmark. The condition was that we had to incorporate actual paper sounds into the music. So, Greg Cohen, Thomas, and I rummaged through the studio, experimenting with paper—crinkling, tearing, tapping, and more.

With limited time to rehearse, we blended these textures into our trio’s usual sound. That night, the audience was drawn in by the raw, tactile nature of the paper. What started as a playful challenge turned into the foundation of the Paper Trio.

Inspired by that performance, we decided to explore further and took the project into the studio. Hippo Road captures those unique sounds—layering the rustle of handmade sheets and the rhythmic thump of paper machines into our improvisations. Each piece started with a simple mood or title, letting the sound guide us.

This project is about embracing creativity and finding beauty in constraints. We hope Hippo Road brings you the same sense of curiosity and joy that we felt while making it.

Mark your calendars for November 22nd—we can’t wait to share it with you.