The name KKV is the short version of the name Kirkelig Kulturverksted, a name that leaves the origin and the backdrop to this label little room for discussion. Yet, all music and audio enthusiasts who have followed this label got the distinct impression that there is a much broader perspective that characterizes a very large proportion of releases. KKV is in no way more Catholic than the Pope, or maybe they are Catholic in a completely different way than the Pope? We note that the ethics behind often is as much founded on cross-cultural bridge building and general ethical values. Or good music that crosses a border-line or two.

In this release we get a thorough insight into the KKV`s width through these four decades. And in my eyes it shines through that precisely this has been something of purpose. KKV has some highly prolific artists in "stable" that they could easily be tempted to run much stronger forward than they have done. I am glad that they have not done that - all of us who appreciate enormously the music of, among others, Kari Bremnes and Reiersrud / Kleive with or without Dissing, anyway have a more or less complete discography in the shelf.

Instead, it makes sense to discover and rediscover the issues we may have heard at one time, but have long since forgotten. And artists we have completely neglected without reason.

Each CD has 12 songs selected, and it is obvious there must be a lot of undeserved passovers from a collection of 400 releases. I refer the highlights here.

CD1 from 1974 to 1983 is characterized to a large extent of religiously based music and conspicuously many of these have at least one foot in folk trad production. One of the undisputed highlights of CD1 is enough Erik Bye's performance of The Norwegian Dalevisa - a great interpretation of a great tune. Sondre Bratland is almost always a delight to hear with his rough weathered voice, and in the " Eg er en gjest i verda "I get a confirmation that he has grown even better over the years. It's still a very nice arrangement from Iver Kleive here.

Ragnar Vigdal is another highlight on CD1, with a profilic performance of religious song material with traditional articulation from Sogn, aranged by Henning Sommero. " Dans med oss Gud" is musically not among my favorites, but nevertheless marks an important milestone in KKV's rebellious and challenging history.

Nordstrand Church Choir's recording of Olav Hovland his work Halloween Messe is a third peak, and a very great performance of a great composition.

A rather rocked hangnail and a lyrical Kenneth Sivertsen round out this decade.

CD2 from 1984 to 1993 generally have a somewhat different character than CD1. In addition to the musical course in average has gone a decade, this CD increasingly characterized by some strong songs that intervenes in various ways.

The opening track is taken from the CD Rosenfole by Agnes Buen Garnås and Jan Garbarek. An exciting release of meeting between folk and jazz. Many good songs, and the title track Rosenfole is one of them.

Arve Moen Berg Seth's song Liti Kjersti is a candidate to be one of the best and strongest in the whole collection box. A wonderfully fascinating melody in its simplicity with a fantastic performance of the very young Arve Moen Bergseth.

We have two meetings of Randi Stene and music of an increasingly unmistakable Ketil Bjørnstad, and the musicsamples are typical representatives of some of Ketil Bjørnstad's many expressions of the seeking 80s. Here, taken from the album The Shadow , and together with the Oslo Chamber of Mass for a wounded earth .

Sigvart Dagsland has a great version of a very strong song with refugees as a theme. Also Deepika Thataal has a strong song, which at first superficial listen emerging as a feeble hybrid between Pakistani and Western music, and with too many words. But it eventually becomes obvious that this is part of the message of the song - a young girl who has a background in two cultures. And that may fall slightly between both of them.

We also get the first meeting with Kari Bremnes, in the song Det Sandeste is  from her debut album. A nice second look with one of the best songs on this album, an album that together with Blå Krukke differs somewhat from the later coming eras, both in expression and sound ideals. It is far more reverb than we otherwise are accustomed to. Also fun to reflect on the text sensual cut confirms that KKV and the Pope are Catholic in very different ways.

The first of several meetings with Ole Paus in the performance of O bli hos meg confirming that he will never get it wrong, even when he challenge the tone, and the traditional performance of old hymns. Old hymn in dramatic new look, iwe also meet in CD2`s last traces exceedingly full of grace , with Reiersrud and Kleive. A gem from this duo is very much better than the sum of the individuals Reiersrud and Iver Kleive. This is not the very best they have made, but still amazingly god. From their debut album Blue Coral.

CD3 from 1994 to 2003 does not have quite as many highlights as CD2. Neither Reiersrud or Erik Bye offering their very best merits here. But Grethe Svensen has a really great song with a unique character and make me visit the CD Catwalk, which the track la, la la is taken from. This visit confirm that there is much good material with the same or even higher quality in the source-album!

Bjarne Brøndbo does not quite reach the original Åge Andersen in his interpretation of va det du jesus - despite a strong effort. However, Ole Paus is at his best in Livet og jeg .

Acid Queen`s tracks Sema is an interesting collaboration between this group and techno musicians from Tanzania. Dominated by repetitive elements, typical of the genre.

Sondre Bratland is also at the height of Lei milde ljos, assisted by Reiersrud and Paolo Vinaccia - also known from eg cooperation with Arild Andersen.

The disc's highlight comes in the final track, Øystein Wingaard Wolf - møt meg på halvveien. A very strong text, with an equally strong performance of Wolf. This is one of my favorites in the whole 4CD-box.

CD4 from 2004 to 2013 starting with Rim Banna and Kari Bremnes: Ya Lei Ma Atwalak - This Never Ending Night. isolated, this not something very special musically. But this is a song taken from an album, it is pointless to describe without putting it into context. The backdrop is the charming George Bush Jr.. his infamous comment about the Axis of Evil in the speech State of the Union in 2002. Erik Hillestad asked for a remark with this release, and it stands as a strong message with their lullabies from both the "axis of evil - Iran, Iraq and North Korea, and end some other nations with frayed reputation of the U.S. administration. The release resulted in record distributor in the United States was boycotted by the Bush administration. And this characterization from the Washington Post: "The most thought-provoking musical statement made ​​this election year just might be a CD of heartbreakingly beautiful songs for babies."

Both Carola and Anita delivers great performances in the two subsequent slots, yet without reaching all the way home with me.

Masha Vahdat and Mighty SamMcClain`s song A deeper tone of Longing has an atmosphere that is quite akin to the songs on the aforementioned Axis and enhanced by a duet of Iranian and English. From the album A deeper tone of longing - Love duets across civilizations .

The song Det Røde by Synnøve Rognlien is hushed and beautiful, with elements of techno, Gregorian chant and Norwegian folk music.

One of Kari Bremnes`s funniest lyrics Amazing already served here in a new guise. After an intro that creates expectations that the voice of Bjørn Eidsvåg will emerge, we have a renewed description of these two caricatured characters we all have seen the shadows of. Here, assisted by Richard Wolff, who constantly has helt fantastisk allereda .

Ellen Sofie Hovland serve a great, low-key song with not-so-hushed text. Done with personality.

A second meeting with Reiersrud and Kleive, here with Povl Dissing the song Christ arose af died . One of the many highlights from the recent CD Like the Golden Sun, which we reviewed before Christmas .

CD4 ends with Skruk - Vår Far . A traditional Orthodox Syrian melody. An encounter between religions, in a region where religions ever meet.

Sound.

KKV has always had a special star among audiophiles, as a record label which focuses on creating productions with good sound. In this release lies in the nature of things that there is a variable material, yet with consistently high quality. It's Cutting Room in Stockholm by Bjorn Engelmann at the helm who has been given the task to master this release. We do not know the extent to which adjustments have been made in relation to the original releases, but the result is nevertheless very good sonically with surprisingly few negative deviatiosn. I said Kari Bremnes`leading contribution from Mitt Ville Hjerte that has a different aproach to sound with little more reverb than sual. But it's still good craftsmanship.

How does that all this music as a whole? It's a pretty daunting task to create such a collection of very different artists, while simultaneously providing a good overall for the listener. And to top it all, the publisher KKV obviously a clear programmatic purpose of the releases in that litterly should represent a breadth and a typical cross section. Many considerations, which add to the conflicting interests.

Yet KKV really come out well in this task. All CDs work well as a whole for a musical experience. And I've been inspired to explore many of the albums that individual songs were taken from. And I have received renewed attention on artists I have overheard. And I've spent far more time in this review than is sustainable in the regular ...

And the answer to the question I pose in the title of this record review is an unequivocal - yes, that is definitely also 40 years of High Fidelity!