Eric Malmberg
Verklighet & beat
Häpna
Eric Malmberg creates extremely visual music, almost to the point where "Verklighet & beat" feels as though it would have been better suited as the soundtrack to a bizarre 60s film than a musical effort alone. Sadly, this may be the only true failing of this record, and it seems unfair to level it against an obviously talented composer and musician, especially on a record produced by Jari Haapalainen (The Bear Quartet) and featuring Swedish organ phenomenon Bo Hansson. "Verklighet & beat" would be a wonderful companion to a 60s novel, especially anything exploring the European segment of this decade or the stereotypical "consciousness expansion" facets of those lost years, and it has been a strange escort towards those shadowy hallways of sleep, but other than in these capacities, I'm not sure how versatile Malmberg's record really is. Obviously the work of a damned gifted artists, "Verklighet & beat" is comparable to a cinematic masterpiece - powerful works when one is in the right setting and mood, but how many times can you really watch a film like "Requiem for a dream"? And could you watch that film on a sunny, beautiful day lost in the Caribbean? Likewise, "Verklighet & beat" is dazzling, but limited.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
