Solander's newest LP, Monochromatic Memories, is out now on
A Tenderversion Recording and streaming in its entirety atStereogum!
North American fans will get a chance to see them live at SXSW this coming March and, until then, enjoy this gorgeous video for "The Woods Are Gone" that debuted yesterday at Under The Radar.
Early love for Monochromatic Memories:
"...intimate incandescent folk-rock blown out to celestial proportions." STEREOGUM
"Coming just about as close to folk-pop perfection as anything we’ve ever heard, Fredrik Karlsson and Anja Linna’s “All Opportunities” is the kind of song you can breathe in." The Line Of Best Fit
"We’re definitely fans of Solander’s melodic, layered folk." Under The Radar
"The orchestral inundation texturizes the track organically, creating a folksy sound as mesmerizing and powerful as, say, a storm from a distance, or one of those gorgeous time-lapse portions of a nature documentary." The Wild Honey Pie
"“All Opportunities,” gives off a fleeting industrial-rock vibe before growing into something more nuanced thanks to the gradual build up of tribal percussion and lucid string arrangements." MAGNET
"...lush, harrowing instrumentation." My Old Kentucky Blog
"At times somber and melancholic, others upbeat and joyous, Monochromatic Memories is contemplative and wistful." My Spoonful
"Falling somewhere in between Fleet Foxes and Sigur Rós, the gorgeous new track showcases exactly what they’re good at: making whispery folk songs that are also surprisingly widescreen" Pigeons & Planes
* BIO *
When Swedish folk pop duo Solander set out to make their third album, the focus was going to be on the natural world. But circumstances set the band off in a different direction. “When we were in the U.S. the last time,” remembers guitarist/vocalist Fredrik Karlsson, “we suffered a great loss. After that, it was impossible to focus on anything else.”
That feeling of loss and remorse is threaded all through Monochromatic Memories (out February 2014), and its lead single “All Opportunities” (out this week streaming on iTunes and Spotify, and available as a free download via Soundcloud and Bandcamp).
Recorded in Stockholm with producer Christian Gabel (Ane Brun, bob hund), “All Opportunities” build steadily with synthesizer and cello melodies courtesy of Solander’s other member Anja Linna, restrained yet driving drums, and the delicately appointed vocals of Karlsson shading the edges with color and emotion. The lyrics speak of the heartbreak of letting someone go, but the blow is cushioned via a bed of gorgeous sound.
Monochromatic Memories is also a wonderful extension of the sounds - a gentle meshing of moods both joyous and sad, and threading arch little musical touches throughout – that Solander have explored since Karlsson/Linna started the project as students in Gothenburg.
“We put together a bunch of people and played some songs of ours in the cellar of this Christian home for students,” says Karlsson. “After that, everything has just happened gradually, a constant progress.”
So far that has included two highly-regarded LPs (2009′s Since We Are Pigeons and 2011′s Passing Mt. Satu) and plenty of live performances, including a much-talked about stop at the SXSW in 2012 as well as several tours throughout continental Europe.
“All Opportunities” is merely the opening salvo for what looks to be a busy year for Solander. The group is already set to open up a batch of Scandinavian dates for Junip, an extended european tour in february, and they have also been invited to return to Austin, Texas as part of the 2014 edition of SXSW with a U.S. tour to follow.
Solander like to say that their music is a search for higher ground and deeper forests for them to explore. If you’re willing to follow them into the woods and up those hills, the group’s ornate, folk-inspired beauty will also allow you delve into the depths and heights that a person’s spirit can reach.
Monochromatic Memories is out February 4th, 2014 on A Tenderversion Recording.
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