Quarrtsiluni is a word in Inuit which roughly means that you are quietly sitting together waiting for something to happen. You may listen to this album in that way, but I do think that it’s rather eventful. There are six tracks which are titled only with numbers: Song one, two, three.. and so on. Each song or track is an improvisation with the starting point in the feeling of just sitting together and the sensation that something has to be said, something necessary. Maybe the spirit of the great whale is among us in the music, as they write on the label Lamour records.

Lisa Ullén on piano and Nina de Heney on double bass have been playing together for a long time and they are a well established duo. On “Quarrtsiluni” they are also joined by Swiss Charlotte Hug on alto violin.

Read more here and listen to the entire album in one session in the Youtube clip below, or sample one of the tracks in the Soundcloud player.

More about Lisa Ullén | Nina de Heney | Charlotte Hug

“Quarrtsiluni” on Spotify – on Apple Music

In his solo project Tentakel Pontus Torstensson continues to weave together electronic influences from krautrock, techno, ambient and other genres with driving rhythms. Last year I wrote about his debut album and now he’s released the two track single “Impulse/Inversion” on the label Höga Nord Rekords. “Impulse” is an intense story with fast analogue synth figures urged on by a high-paced beat, sending me images of a hardboiled action movie in the beginning of the eighties. “Inversion”, on the other hand, is a more complex creation full of mystique with layer upon layer added until we reach a breaking point, where we are left floating over some cosmic no man’s land. Listen to the first track here:

Tentakel on Facebook – on Spotify – on Apple Music

The cellist Aina Myrstener released the album “Cellomusik” two years ago, an album which received a lot of praise, and where she produces sounds from her instrument in every possible way. I missed it myself, but I’m glad I was notified about her fascinating music through her new track “Oriens”, relased yesterday as a taste of her upcoming album “Cellomusik II”. Here she squeezes out all the melancholy that resides in the beautiful cello tone in a pulsating, minimalistic tune which breathes of of mystique and dark secrets. To give you an idea of the width of her creativity with the cello, I’ve also added a track from the first album. “Cellomusik II” is scheduled for release on the 10th of June.

Aina Myrstener on Facebook – on Spotify – on Apple Music

Per Störby Jutbring

Per Störby Jutbring – “Dance of the Diaper Fairy”

It’s easy to get impressed by Per Störby Jutbring’s versatility as a musician. I feel it’s almost easier to list what he’s not ventured into. In the autumn I wrote about his excellent film song “Tomorrow“, but here I’m going to present an album he released already last Spring, “Dance of the Diaper Fairy”.

He writes that it’s at the piano he feels most comfortable, and it shows on this album, which consists mostly of solo piano tracks. With a quite personal touch to the keys he’s created a beautiful and intimate session where he mixes minimalistic, melodic songs with free improvisation and also a few wonderful trio collaborations, where he’s joined by Johanna Dahl on cello and Malin My Wall on violin. Here are two examples:

Per Störby Jutbring on Facebook – on Spotify – on Apple Music

Conny Olivetti – “Klangwelt / 2016”

Even if the themes and music varies from album to album I do recognize the ambience in Conny Olivettis music. Here on the latest album “Klangwelt / 2016” in a dark, futuristic atmosphere where he lets voice samplings colour and comment upon the theme in question. This time, as I interpret it, it’s about the human rights and the real threats out there in our world.

Conny Olivetti’s site – on Bandcamp

Interzone Inc – “Stories”

And now to another creative electronic adventurer: Interzone Inc. Just before Christmas he released the album “Stories”, a quite enjoyable album where he mixes beat-driven tunes, which sometimes reminds me of old electronica heroes like Vangelis, with dreamy ambient soundscapes. Here are two tracks to taste:

Interzone Inc’s site – on Facebook – on Spotify – on Apple Music – on Bandcamp

Eko – “Ekonomusik” EP

The two musicians Gustaf Nygren (Trädet, Sounds of Nonno) and Oscar Björk (Velu Leka), hailing from Stockholm, have created the new project Eko together. Last month they released the debut EP “Ekonomusik”, an EP they describe as “an ambient half hour in three pieces with a hope of larger forests and less borders.” And the hope is very much alive in this bright and beautiful music, which is glimmering from the meeting between electronic, imaginative spaces and electric guitar sounds. There is a sense of nature lyric in the music, which reminds me of some of Björn J:son Lindh’s records, in the grandness and in the stroke of nordic melancholy. Here’s one of the three tracks.

Eko on Facebook – on Soundcloud

SQRD – “Keep Saying” EP

SQRD is an artist from Uppsala who moved to Berlin to focus on music full time. And with his exciting debut EP “Keep Saying” he fits perfectly in the city’s creative electronica scene. This feels unique and interesting where he express experimental ambitions as well as catchy hooks. Here’s the title track from the EP.

SQRD on Facebook – on Spotify – on Apple Music

Saliko – “I Laid Myself Down Like a Temple Ruin”

Behind the artist name Saliko we find Emanuel Tägil, an artist who has played with various bands before, but who decided two and a half year ago to go his own way. The album “I Laid Myself Down Like a Temple Ruin” was released on Sunday and is his debut. He says that he wants to express his musical identity by mining everything that has inspired him during the years. To take in everything from black metal to church music and computer games and try to find some common ground where all this meet. It is a fascinating journey which is impossible to characterize in a genre and where he uses an analogue synth, acoustic instruments, percussion, sampled sounds from nature, drum machines and vocals. He defies common song structures and is moving somewhere between art music and pop where I can hear ambiences from church music, ageless folk music, 80’s new wave and minimalism. Here are two songs to taste.

Saliko on Facebook – on Spotify Music – on Apple Music

Genius – “Floating On Air (Tribute To Etienne Cap)”

The French electronica project Genius has an ongoing series of songs called “Point of View” where they make tributes to all the geniuses that has inspired them. They have released reworks and interpretations of songs from artists like Roy Ayers, Dusty Springfield and Herbie Hancock before. Here is their latest creation with the relatively unknown Etienne Petrus V. Cap in the center of attention. Etienne Cap was a Belgian soul and funk musician, first of all a trumpet player, who played with Max Greger orchestra and James Last among others.

Genius on Facebook – on Soundcloud