Recently, I’ve been finding myself subconsciously falling slowly into an infinite chasm of Swedish post music, where the stark contrast of emotive and melancholic riffs rubs shoulders, and empathizes with glorious cinematic soundscapes. This form of music is almost becoming the soundtrack to everything I do of late!. Even in the last couple of months, I’ve been reviewing Swedish bands like Dimwind, Kollaps\e and Feed Me To The Waves, to name just three, and to add to that, I’ve been privileged enough to have interviewed hugely influential bands like A Swarm Of The Sun, EF, Oh Hiroshima and Sagor Som Leder Mot Slutet. I really have buried and immersed myself deep within this rugged Nordic landscape, and let me tell you, it’s a beautiful place to be.
So with all that in mind, it was only a matter of time before I came upon the unfaltering talent that is Christoffer Franzén, and his project, Lights & Motion. This multi-instrumentalist producer/composer has a resume of film scores and soundtracks that would make any musician or composer from any time or genre stand up and applaud, or even tip their cap!. The project was initially supposed to reflect the sense of dreamlike state in which a lot of the first album was written in. Since then the he has gone on to release five full-length albums, and several EP´s, so It stands to reason that this man is a gifted and very accomplished musician.
Lights & Motion’s latest release, This Is The Beginning is a new single which features, and I quote, "over 50 individually recorded guitar tracks and a strong percussive element to convey both intimate and cinematic emotions that simply cannot be put into words". So with a comment like that, is it even worth trying to express this music through a review? Well, here’s what I hear and feel when I play this track and maybe it resonates with you in the same way.
Opening through a vast open space, overlooking the wild, expansive wilderness, the guitar tone is delicate and subtle, as it gently reverbs and bounces off every peak and valley as far as the eye can see. Therapeutic percussions add to the magic, as a faint celestial voice hovers overhead, caressing every note and every heartbeat. Post-rock has never sounded so sweet as those galloping drums roll and rumble through the bronzed terrain that seems to stretch to infinity. A soft break and lapse of time allows the harmonies and the sonic might of the track to build once more, giving this musical venture another lease of life and reaffirming its ability to quietly take your mind and body to another place, where you can be at one with the natural world. This really is a piece of post rock magic.
Released through Deep Elm Records, Lights & Motion have only scratched the surface with This Is The Beginning. There is a journey to be had here, and I for one, have my rucksack packed. Head over to their Bandcamp page and have a listen. See you on the other side!