*150 copies limited edition* “In September 2022 I bought a piano. I had had access to pianos previously but had quite limited knowledge on how to actually record it in a good way. Especially since I had also acquired a dampener for it and was mainly interested in capturing that piano tone, which lacks a lot of the overtones that it normally has. So the idea was to write and record something quickly, using mainly piano and mainly first takes. To go with my gut feeling and leave the mistakes in there. And to use this approach to try out different micing techniques and to just learn and experiment along the way. What I’d do is I’d sit down by the piano and come up with a simple chord structure and perhaps a melody or an arpeggio. I’d then record that on my phone and save for later. Once I had 3-4 ideas, I’d put some mic’s up, listen to the demos a few times to find the BPM’s and then basically just record it. Most of the basic piano recordings on the album are first takes. I then went on to record overdubs, but also here I wanted to keep it simple and sparse and spontaneous. For instance, the track Allt vi måste hinna med contains only the basic piano recording and a single pump organ recording. Nothing more.

But I did want to explore the sonic possibilities of the piano. So I also spent time trying to figure out ways of working with the existing recordings, either by cutting them up and re-assembling them in various ways – the track Om natten drömmer vi om våren is one example of this approach – or taking snippets here and there and building new textures and ideas out of this – the track Sjörök is one example of this. So a lot of the sounds on the album is actually just piano that I’ve pitch shifted, time stretched, cut, chopped and basically just tried to turn inside out.

The whole album was written and recorded during October and November and then edited and mixed over the Christmas holidays that same year. This is definitely the shortest process I’ve ever had with an album, as normally I spend somewhere between 2-5 years working off and on on an album. I’ve never been one for dogmatic approaches towards making music. But this time I wanted to stick to the limitations, and just do something quickly. Not obsess over every single little detail that no one will ever notice anyway, and not constantly second guess myself on every artistic decision. But rather just let go and let it be.

Generally, most of my albums start with an image or a short scene that I then proceed to try to put music to. Like a soundtrack to an event that has only ever existed in my mind. This album’s theme didn’t really present itself until I was actually starting with the final mixes. This was around Christmas time 2022, and always around Christmas, I think about all those who are alone over the holidays, and to whom Christmas just means an even deeper state of loneliness. So the album basically revolves around loneliness as a fundamental part of the human condition. That said, I don’t think this is a particularly dark album. To me it’s kind of hopeful and warm in a way. Because even though we are fundamentally lonely, we also do have each other, and we mustn’t forget that. Especially in times like these when the world seems ominous and bleak. There is compassion and care and respect and love out there. There are still people who wants to do good, I’m sure of it.” - Dag Rosenqvist