Last Dinosaurs "KYORYU" (2024)

KYORYU

release date: May 21, 2024

format: digital (13 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]

producer: Last Dinosaurs, Oscar Dawson & Scott Horscroft

label: Nettwerk - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Keys to Your Civic" - 3. "Self-Serving Human Being" - 4. "Paranoia Paradise" (feat. Glaze) - 5. "14 Occasions" - 6. "Wait Your Turn" - 10. "Afterlife"

5th full-length studio or a compilation (?) album by Australian dream pop and indie pop quartet Last Dinosaurs following 1½ years after From Mexico with Love (Oct. 2022), which again followed Yumeno Garden (Oct. 2018). Since their 2022 album, the band released two EPs, RYU (Nov. 2023) and KYO (Apr. 2024), and the tracks from these two actually constitute KYORYU, basically reducing the album to a compilation, but then this has become a quite common promotion procedure - regardless, what you may think of it. But it means that the first five tracks are identical to KYU, and tracks #7-13 are all taken from RYO. The digital issue (from the band's bandcamp site) comes with one extra track (track #6), and the total running time clocks in at 49 minutes.

It's all fine melodic indie / dream pop focusing on harmony-driven arrangements. At times it's a bit too slick, a bit too sugary. For my taste. I find, there's a turn towards K-Pop music on this, but it's nevertheless nicely executed. I just don't suspect, it's an album I will return to that regularly. I simply miss more edge, and a bolder original sound.

2023 'RYU' ep

2024 'KYO' ep

Søren Huss "Vi fik mere end vi kom for" (2024)

Vi fik mere end vi kom for

release date: Apr. 5, 2024

format: cd

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]

producer: Søren Huss & Christian Balvig

label: Universal Music Group - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 3. "Sensommerdrøm" - 4. "Et støvet loop i inderste rille" - 5. "Langt ude, langt oppe, langt nede og langt, langt væk" - 7. "Kinddans" - 8. "Lyden af os under ét tag" - 10. "Stoledans"

5th studio album by Søren Huss following 4½ years after Sort & hvid til evig tid (Sep. 2019) is despite the time span an album of a familiar style. His 2019 album was in a way a final statement that his songs are eternally bound to both dark [sort] and light [hvid] sentiments. Some critics had early on directed some criticism to his blue-toned melancholic soundscape, and made attempts in writing positive and lighter songs but Huss has made it clear that his musical tone is one of many blue notes. In that regard this only follows suit with his prvious albums. It's music filled with harmony, light tones and uplifting moments AND it's soothing with melancholy.

The musical expression is far from that of Saybia - only the vocal is familiar, but that's how Huss primarily comes out on his own. All songs are credited Huss, and his backing band is a mix of staple instrumentalists. Guitarist Lars Skjærbæk has been aboard on the most recent three albums, and bassist Morten Jørgensen and drummer Jesper Elnegaard have both been stable musicians on all of Huss' solo albums.

Vi fik mere end vi kom for ['We Got More Than Expected'] is by no means a poor collection of new songs, and in that regard it's a most fitting title in that it's also an excellent description of the album. The title is taken from track #5, which appears as the central song of the album. Huss stays on a safe path - he certainly has been on these roads before, and some songs could easily be followed by older material without anyone finding it a disturbing change. Huss has never been afraid of narrating about his personal life and about existential crisis. Huss has found himself in a depressive state, and that's central to these ten new songs, and that theme is not new to fans of his discography. That said, it's a return to his more minimalist songwriting as found on his two first albums. It's still an original sound with a strong influence from folk rock and a whole world of balladry with a subtle touch of jazz. It's music for solitude, for rainy days and for a attentive listening, and once you have accustomed and adjusted your expectations, it's like a cleansening bath in Autumn leaves.

[ Gaffa.dk 5 / 6, Politiken, Ekstra Bladet 4 / 6 stars ]

Jan Johansson "Jazz på svenska" (1964)

Jazz på svenska

release date: 1964 (HELP-030)

format: vinyl (2013 reissue)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,16]

producer: (rec. by Oluf Swembel)

label: Heptagon Records - nationality: Sweden

Studio album by Jan Johansson originally released on Swedish label Megafon is Johansson's third album and it's no less than the best sold Swedish jazz album ever. The album consists Johansson's arrangements of Swedish folk songs, which are characterised by minimalist instrumentation with Johansson on piano accompanied by Georg Ridel on double bass. The abum count twelve compositions with a total playing time of approx. 34 minutes. The 2013 vinyl reissue is based on remastering of the original tape recordings and have been made by Jens and Anders Johansson, who are also founders of Heptagon Records and sons of legendary Jan Johansson.

This album is a must-have in any collection of jazz, and if you think Getz / Gilberto is one of the best jazz albums from '64, you really need to know this one.