Fredrik
Origami
Biograf/The Kora Records
Having blossomed into a three-piece, with Anna Moberg making her debut on "Origami", Fredrik's newest effort builds on the dreamscapes explored on the collected EPs of "Trilogi". The introduction of a new member often changes a group's sound, for the better in Fredrik's case, but it's subtle; the "Origami" EP could have been included alongside the three collected in "Trilogi" without feeling forced or tacked on. The same ethereal quality remains, but the first two tracks on "Origami", "Dance of the peacock phantom" and "White on white", feel more focused than many of the efforts on "Trilogi", all without seeming divorced from the contemplative nature of that record. The layering on these first two tracks is wonderful, creating a lush soundscape that doesn't feel rushed through despite the relatively short lengths of the songs, and yet unveils new aspects with each listen. Closer "ABC", clocking in at almost seven minutes, is gorgeous: meditative without meandering, the constant percussion driving the airy instrumentation along, giving a sense of tangibility to the abstract composition. If this is a taste of what's to come, I'm excited to see what Fredrik have planned for 2011.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
