MP3: Nutid - Pianoflikkan
Nutid is the duo of Åsa Jacobsson and Alf Håkan Åkesson and together they make beautiful instrumental music. Which is odd in a way because Åsa is well-known as Marit Bergman's favorite songwriting collaborator and she has also worked with quite a few other Stockholm-based pop projects (Consequences, Peter Bjorn and John, etc.). Alf is no slouch either, he's released a few well-received folksy singer/songwriter albums under his first name. So for the two of them to come together to do something completely different is a surprise; unexpected but welcome. "Pianoflikkan" is one of the longer tracks on the record (they typically average out to 2:30-3:00, owing very much to the duo's pop-oriented roots) and is quite reminiscent of classic Swedish progg. The melodies are very Jan Johansson in their elegant melancholy, especially when the piano takes the lead, but the piece wouldn't sound out of place on a Björn Olsson album either. The cinematic and the pastoral, together as one; a bit of twang and timpani. Spring has finally arrived and the flowers are slowing opening just like the smiles on people's faces as they enjoy a bit of hard-earned sunshine. This is the soundtrack for such a morning.
Nutid - Pianoflikkan