Kultivator formed in Sweden in 1978 around three former members of the group Tunnelbanan: bassist Stefan Carlsson, drummer Johan Svärd and keyboard player Johan Hedrén. With guitarist and singer Jonas Linge and Ingemo Rylander on vocals, recorder and piano, they recorded Barndomens Stigar in September 1980 at AVO-Studio in Linköping, and the LP came out on Bauta Records in 1981. The band split up soon after.

The songs are sung in Swedish, mostly by Rylander, whose clear voice and recorder sit on top of busy organ, piano and synthesizer lines and a rhythm section that likes odd meters and repeated, hammering figures. Listeners usually place the record between the Canterbury school and the Zeuhl sound of Magma, with a folk tint in the melodies. Pieces such as Grottekvarnen and Novarest stretch out past six minutes and move through several sections.

The second disc gathers eight bonus tracks, including live versions of Novarest and the title track and a medley named after Tunnelbanan.

Japanese 2CD reissue by Belle Antique, expanded edition, remastered, in two cardboard sleeves: the first is a mini LP replica with a Japanese folded insert. CD1 is an SHM-CD. Eight bonus tracks on CD2.