Lunden’s alliance with instrumentalist Andreas Mijös, from Jaga Jazzist, and singer Kyrre Björkäs, from Norwegian band Detärjag som är döden, is even briefer, at 16 minutes. The use of various acoustic instruments such as violin, vibes, piano, and recorder, plus more conventional rhythms, gives it a slightly more organic sound than the Kirichenko partnership, its five songs seeming to trace the course of a relationship. “Dubious” is a seductive samba, Björkäs’s low voice turning Lunden’s material even darker. Lines like “I so much want to be your double” and ” I volunteer for immediate addiction when we’re together” have ominous overtones that are developed further in “You Can Come”‘s talk of breathing through the other’s skin, and the obsessive erotics of “Naked In My Bed.” “The Sound It Makes” dovetails on a treated 1960’s girl group riff, becoming darker and heavier as it goes, and closer “Murder” gets downright spooky, setting horror movie soundtrack sounds over pulsing space synth. Also sporting a nicely done sleeve (by Lunden and artist Henrik Lundstrom), Dubious is a worthy companion to There Was No End; both make good use of the EP format for listeners desirous of a strong aperitif. Larry Nai
Review
Saralunden.Björkås.Mjös – Dubious
Sara Lundén är produktiv. I samband med släppet av ‘There was No End’ – ett ‘indie-tronica-projekt’ skapat tillsammans med Andrey Kiritchenko – kommer ett annat samarbete under namnet SaraLunden.Björkås.Mjös.
‘Dubious’ är drygt femton minuter aningens svårbestämd musik. Lättjazz med electronica-anknytning och suggestiva små drag av trip hop. Närmaste referensen jag greppar efter är faktiskt ‘Svårt att säga nej’, den gamla duetten mellan Bo Kasper och Lisa Ekdahl från slutet av nittiotalet, frånsett de elektroniska inslagen: Unison sång av kvinna och man, tätt intill med luftigt komp. Inget som tippar världen över ända, men avgjort ganska trevligt.
Författare: Sara Axelsson
Saralunden.Björkås.Mjös – Dubious
Saralunden.Björkås.Mjös-Dubious
The blending of aural solicitations on Dubious are tantamount to a libidinal striptease. Kyrre Bjorkas, Sara Lunden, Andreas Mjos, and Ida Lunden play a seductive game, using an array of amorous stratagems while they chart a gradual engagement with song constructs, spanning a number of different genres. In five songs that last some fifteen minutes, Dubious is a dense quilt of sounds. Tape loops are utilized to recontextualize lazy vocals and gloopy basslines that hang in the background with raga-like intensity. Melodies crystalize for fleeting moments, then dissolve into sections of spiraling abstraction that are abrasive and spirited in equal measure. In between these poles, synthesizer and drum programming emit foreboding backdrops for Bjorkas soprano surges and swells. In the end, there is enough mingling of tender chanson with barbed blues to warrant hope for further forays into such alluring artifice. Max Schaefer
Saralunden.Björkås.Mjös – Dubious
Une fois n’est pas coutume, c’est d’Ukraine que nous provient cette musique délicieusement étrange. Le label expérimental Nexsound s’ouvre à des sonorités moins hermétiques qu’à l’accoutumée et propose, avec les cinq titres de ce EP, un quart d’heure de mélancolie décalée. Portées par la belle voix de Sara Lunden et des instrumentations cotonneuses, les mélodies proposées par le trio nous plongent dans une drôle d’ambiance ouatée : quelques minutes de bonheur pour le dimanche après-midi. A commander sur le site de Nexsound.
Par Tristan
Saralunden.Björkås.Mjös – Dubious
Dubious is the collaboration of Swedish indie-pop musician Sara Lunden and Norwegians Kyrre Björkås (of Det är jag som är döden) and Andreas Mjøs (of Jaga Jazzist). Saralunden (vocals, glass, synthesizers, piano, organ, recorder), Björkås (vocals, bass, violin, guitar, drums, synthesizers) and Mjös (vibraphone, guitar, drums, omnichord, violin, programming, production) have come up with an exciting mini album.
Dubi-dubious (as the title track opens vocally) is a nice collection of minimalist electronica pop. Low-toned and a bit introvert and cold. Yet in some way including and warm. Lundén’s semi-fragile voice is a good match with Björkås’ darker toned vocals. Lee and Nancy, or Nick and Kylie (or, rather, Polly Jean)? Well…of their genre maybe, but then… not really. Björkås has written 2 of the tracks, Lundén the last three. The quintet of songs make a nice handful, and quite an okay 16 minutes of pleasant company. I think I prefer Lundén’s songs the better. “You Can Come” and “Naked In My Bed”, but especially the most quiet track, “The Sound It Makes”. The closing “Murder” (by Björkås) is sort of a spooky murder ballad.
These 5 songs were recorded at Saralunden’s place in Stockholm during a couple of weeks back in 2004. There’s nothing wrong with spending time together for a follow up.
Copyright
Saralunden.Björkås.Mjös – Dubious
Überraschend. Eine süßliche Gesangs EP auf Nexsound. Das ist auch noch der Beginn einer neuen Reihe. Hier singen Saralunden und Kyrre Björkas zusammen zu Tracks, die sehr elegant zwischen Gitarrenfolk und digitaler Exzellenz herumschwirren, aber dabei das Popflair voll und ganz entfalten können. Definitiv eine der schönsten Duettplatten des Jahres.
Saralunden.Björkås.Mjös – Dubious
Founded in 2000 by Andrey Kiritchenko in Kharkiv/Ukraine, Nexsound is a label dedicated to unconventional sound. Their releases (they press proper CDs as well they release stuff as web label) have a characteristic experimental approach which on the pressed CD is less considered as on that format they are releasing the most “accessible” stuff. The first release of this series is a collaboration MCD which see songwriter/performer Sara Lunden composing with Kyrre Björkås (he plays with the Norwegian band Det är jag som är döden) . and Andreas Mjös (producer/musician, he plays with the Norwegian band
Saralunden.Björkås.Mjös – Dubious
Überraschend. Eine süßliche Gesangs EP auf Nexsound. Das ist auch noch der Beginn einer neuen Reihe. Hier singen Saralunden und Kyrre Björkas zusammen zu Tracks, die sehr elegant zwischen Gitarrenfolk und digitaler Exzellenz herumschwirren, aber dabei das Popflair voll und ganz entfalten können. Definitiv eine der schönsten Duettplatten des Jahres.
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