ARV & MILJÖ - VÅLNAD AV FORNSKOG LP
Coming full circle, Vålnad Av Fornskog is the fourth and final part in Arv & Miljö's suite of seasonal ambient albums initiated with Svensk Sommar I Stilla Frid (Omlott, 2018) and continued with Himmelsvind (Discreet Music, 2020) and Ensam Är Nattens Rymd Över Vita Vägar (Discreet Music, 2021). Heavily inspired by the Swedish countryside autumns of the 80's, the album starts just at the tail end of the summer. Fragmentary memories of things like rain on a tin roof, empty playgrounds and windy days walking home in the dark comes alive throughout the five segments on the album, sounds integrated with dissolving melodic synth primitivism and crude tape techniques. While arguably not miles away in sound and ambience compared to the previous parts, the broken new age music of Vålnad Av Fornskog is further pushing the fidelity boundaries with everything almost falling to pieces at the end. Glimpses of early Pacific City Sound Visions or Dreamtime Tape Sounds releases meets 90's Tangerine Dream through speakers on fire with an undeniable dose of 'Swedish tape noise'. Features a guest apperance by Mark Anderson of Greymouth fame on drums. Mastered by Giuseppe Ielasi. Gloss laminated sleeve with double-sided insert.
Discreet Music 11, 2022
Edition of 500 copies
OUT OF PRINT
MAGNUS JÄVERLING - BOWDARK LP
Bowdark is the name of a fictitious town somewhere in the USA. After a comet hits the town, mysterious things starts to happen. The Gothenburg-based artist Magnus Jäverling started to develop the concept and story around 2016, which included a scale model of the town and now the culmination of the project; his 10-track debut album. Recorded between 2016 and 2022, the album is a epic and dramatic journey through the peculiar lives and happenings in Bowdark. While musically being rooted in the synthesized and atmospheric tradition of Fabio Frizzi, John Carpenter and the ilk, there's something strikingly Scandinavian about the eerie and icy cold compositions. The record is accompanied by a folder with loose sheets mapping out the strange events in Bowdark. Mastered by Joakim Karlsson..
Discreet Music 10, 2022
Edition of 500 copies
JON COLLIN - BRIDGE VARIATIONS LP
On Bridge Variations, the now Stockholm-based English guitarist Jon Collin changes his guitar for a keyed fiddle. Mostly recorded to tape under different bridges around Stockholm during 2021, partly for the sound but also because of their importance to the geographical make-up of the place, the album is like a modern take on traditional Swedish folk music made by an outsider looking in. The sound is pretty much a continuation of the palette explored on 'Dream Sequence, End Of Summer', Collin's contribution to the Contemporary Homemade Music compilation put out by Discreet Music last year. Slowly moving and drawn-out melodies evolve into immense droning beauty, rich of texture and with the environmental sounds from the sites becoming an integral part of the recording. Mastered by Giuseppe Ielasi. Comes with a 12-page colour-coded booklet of photos of the recording locations.
Discreet Music 09, 2022
Edition of 1000 copies
BLOD - PILGRIMSSÅNGER LP
Pilgrimssånger is the first of two new Blod albums deeply inspired by the Swedish Christian parish culture. The songs deals with human connection and solitude in a life built upon faith. The lyrics depicts exposure and anxiety but also joy and belief among free church members, the complexity of the relationships in the community with its leaders and priests and - ultimately - God. The songs are mainly influenced by Swedish folk music, psalms and choral music. While being an heavy album, Gustafs' intention has still been to fill the listener with hope and light rather than the opposite. As usual with Blod, the approach has been to highlight the beautiful things in generally ugly contexts, something that has probably never been as evident as on Pilgrimssånger. Pilgrimssånger features guest apperances by Elin Engström and Anna Johannesson on vocals and percussion. Joakim Karlsson mixed and mastered the album. Screenprinted cover, lyric book and additional insert.
Discreet Music 08, 2022
First press: 500 copies
Second press: 500 copies
GOTHENBURG SOUND WORKSHOP 2CD
A new 50-minute opus of desolate beauty from Gothenburg Sound Workshop. Imagine a handcuffed Terry Riley driving a ice cream truck down in the Göta Älv. The second disc compiles both Förlag För Fri Musik albums (released in small vinyl editions in 2020 and 2021 respectively). Together the three albums creates a massive trilogy of stripped down, melancholic and introspective synth minimalism. Six-panel digipack.
DMCD04, 2022
Edition of 500 copies
TREASURY OF PUPPIES - MITT STORA NU LP
"This is the neat little dog with the dainty walk that looks like a lamb and can fight like a demon". Mitt Stora Nu is the second album from the Gothenburg-based duo Treasury of Puppies, consisting of Charlott Malmenholt and Joakim Karlsson. Nine tracks of life-affirming downer music that were mainly recorded during 2021 and that shows a more varied and refined side compared to their first recordings, though maintaining the TOP-branded poetic playfulness and peculiar approach to sound art/rock n roll. While pieces like 'Jag såg ditt ljus' and 'Rotten apples of love' both capture the very essence of the bands' sound and arguably wouldn't have been completely out of place on the debut album, there's larger-than-life epics like the title track and 'Skriv när du är hemma' brushing off most signs of the past. The strangely addictive 'Dödens soffa' sounds like a bunch of rats in leather jackets and sunglasses playing rockabilly. Treasury of Puppies are in their lyrics this time paraphrasing and recontextualizing everything from Mare Kandre, Edith Södergran to Edgar Allan Poe and Britney Spears, creating a comforting albeit perplexing own little twisted universe. It sort of makes sense that many parts of this album were recorded with old devices made for recording talk rather than music. Ain't nothing but a hound dog! Mastered by Giuseppe Ielasi. Comes with insert.
Discreet Music 07, 2022
Edition of 1000 copies
OUT OF PRINT
ARV & MILJÖ - ENSAM ÄR NATTENS RYMD ÖVER VITA VÄGAR LP
The third part in Arv & Miljös seasonal ambient tetralogy, following up Himmelsvind (Discreet Music, 2020) and Svensk Sommar I Stilla Frid (Omlott Records, 2018). The 11 segments on Ensam Är Nattens Rymd are inspired just as much by the memories of long and cold childhood winters that never seemed to end as it is by walking home on slushy Gothenburg streets in the middle of December. Based more on rudimentary back-to-basics analouge 4-track tactics, the lush and shimmering ambience from Himmelsvind is replaced with a slow-moving, monotonous and grittier variation on the same formula and the sound is somewhat reminiscent of how the world sounds like from inside a snow cave. Tape murk, jarring discordance and ice cold droning aside, much is still similar to its two slightly lighter predecessors, taking severe cues from 80's new age cassette culture and what not. Featuring guest appearances by Helen Johnstone (The Garbage & The Flowers) and P Wits. Mastered by Giuseppe Ielasi. Gatefold sleeve.
Discreet Music 06, 2021
Edition of 513 copies
OUT OF PRINT
ASTRID ØSTER MORTENSEN – SKÆRGÅRDSLYD LP
The much anticipated second album from Astrid Øster Mortensen. New in Gothenburg, the Denmark-born Astrid started to frequent the Discreet Music shop in the summer of 2020. Coincidentally, around the same time Gustaf Dicksson was looking for a Danish vocalist for his upcoming Blod album Missväxt and one thing quickly led to another. Not only did Astrid contribute with vocals for said record but one day she handed us a master of her own music that completely floored us. The recordings eventually materalized as the Gro Mig En Blomst LP which was released in a small edition on Förlag För Fri Musik in March 2021. The album has been living its own life since then. Just as with the debut album, Skærgårdslyd was recorded in the southern Gothenburg archipelago. Recorded in early 2021, the album was inspired by the windy island landscapes while walking the same nature paths over and over again, working in the elder care and occasionally visiting the city. Compared to the dreamy and almost sketch-like but fairly direct music on the debut album, Skærgårdslyd takes its time to fully unfold, moving forward slowly with guitar, fiddle, church organ, piano and field recordings. The songs are longer, richer in texture and more contemplative and subtle in their nature, sort of mimicking the isolated island life. The use of vocals is rather sparse and we have to wait until the last few minutes of the A-side with 'Hvem Er Det Som Stjæler Min Ungdom' before Astrid's voice enters for the first time. There's a wonderful and tactile hands-on approach to both the recording and compositions, much in spirit with the Forlaget Kornmod collective which Astrid shares a kinship with. Mastered by Joakim Karlsson. Comes with two inserts, one of which is a A3 foldout poster.
Discreet Music 05, 2022
Edition of 1000 copies
OUT OF PRINT
SEWER ELECTION - PSYCHIC PANORAMA CD
A new 66-minute psychedelic synth epos from Sewer Election. Half of the material was originally released as a very limited cassette on Malign Editions in the summer of 2021. Brutish and cold minimalism that kind of resembles Nord or a David Tudor on benzos. Recorded in Kortedala, Gothenburg. Edition of 300 copies in jewelcase.
DMCD03, 2021
Edition of 300 copies
OUT OF PRINT
V/A - CONTEMPORARY HOMEMADE MUSIC FROM SWEDEN CD
An audio postcard from the Discreet Music family featuring new music from Astrid Øster Mortensen, Jon Collin, Blod, Charlott Malmenholt, Hugo Randulv, Sewer Election, Skogar, Incipientium, Leda, JJulius, Amateur Hour, Arv & Miljö, Klas Trollius and Treasury of Puppies. 53 minutes. CD in jewelcase with 16-page booklet.
DMCD02, 2021
Edition of 500 copies
OUT OF PRINT
BLOD - ABBA 2CD
A massive new double album from Blod and the first CD-only release on Discreet Music. In the artists' own words: "ABBA was recorded during the summer of 2021 in my garage in Mölndal outside of Gothenburg. I believe the album has some kind of loner ambient lo-fi vibe all over it. I have tried to create a warm feeling permeated by longing and loneliness. It's far from a happy album and it contains no hit songs, but I think there is a feeling of hope present throughout both discs." 2CD with 12-page booklet and jewelcase packaged in a stickered slipcase.
DMCD01, 2021
Edition of 300 copies
OUT OF PRINT
The fourth release from Discreet Music is another seemingly out-of-nowhere debut album from an Gothenburg artist. To people in Gothenburg, Klas Trollius is probably best known as a DJ and a visual artist, but the origins of this collection of songs goes back to as far as 2010 when the very first version of the exceptional opening track 'Över Ett Fält' was recorded. On Sånger Till En Människa, Klas Trollius explores the connection between music and place, letting specific location recordings become an important part of each track. The reworked 'Över Ett Fält, a loose interpretation of John Martyns' 'Over The Hill', is a 8 minute+ epic that immediately sets the tone and mood for the rest of the album with it's acoustic guitar, hushed vocals and heavy use of field recordings. The shorter 'Koltrast' is the closest we come to a fully realized acoustic pop song, Klas himself citing Razorcuts' fantastic 'Sorry To Embarass You' and several shoegaze songs as an influence. More improvised tracks like 'Gitarr, Klockspel Och Isdemoner' and 'Isdemoner För Flöjt, Trumma Och Vind' fully lets the nature become one with the instrumentaion in the spirit of Schwarzwaldfahrt or something from the Jewelled Antler Collective. Truly bewildering organic music. The record is dedicated to the memory of his Father, King Tubby and Elsa Grave. Full colour reverse board sleeves with three inserts. Including artist printed insert made with several runs through laser printer on slightly textured 120g colored paper. Mastered by Joakim Karlsson.
Discreet Music 04, 2021
Edition of 400 copies
OUT OF PRINT
New Enhet För Fri Musk album, recorded in Gothenburg and Malmö 2020 by Hugo Randulv, Sofie Herner, Gustaf Dicksson, Matthias Andersson and Dan Johansson. A concept album on relationships, family values and broken promises. 18 songs. Edition of 700 copies. With 20-page song book.
Discreet Music 03, 2021
First press: 700 copies
Second press: 500 copies
OUT OF PRINT
FACIT - BEACH MUSIC LP
The debut fullength from Facit after a few years of silence. Often working as a duo consisting of Joakim Karlsson and Mai Nestor, Facit released a couple of fantastic EPs between 2013 and 2016. Beach Music is a rapid turn from the previous recordings, with barely no traces left of the minimal wave and synth-pop of the past. Recorded by Joakim Karlsson alone at the island of Hönö in the west coast archipleggio outside of Gothenburg in the summer of 2020, Beach Music is an entirely guitar-based album. With an old Vantage guitar, Joakim has created a beautiful morning light soundtrack. 10 shimmering instrumentals stripped down to the bare minimum. Mastered by Giuseppe Ielasi.
Discreet Music 02, 2021
Edition of 500 copies
OUT OF PRINT
ARV & MILJÖ - HIMMELSVIND LP
The first release on Discreet Music and the 6th album from Arv & Miljö. Mainly recorded during the easter holiday 2020 and the coming weeks, Himmelsvind takes us back to the spring time, where as the previous album Svensk Sommar I Stilla Frid (Omlott Records, 2018) explored the Swedish summer. While sonically a continuation of the ambience and new age gloom of Svensk Sommar, the general tone on Himmelsvind is somewhat heavier and more nostalgic. The majestic take on romanticized kosmische music is still in focus, but with a more extensive use of field recordings, samples and tape loops. Stretching out on a field of fresh wood anemones, the 7 tracks captures the essence of that magical period of time of the early blooming flowers, distant log splitters and lawn movers, the first sign of the street sweepers (you may have had to be a skateboarder to truly appreciate that feeling and smell though), hotdogs from a tin can at the bonfire, the humming blackbirds... The creator casually namedropped Anna Själv Tredje and Ralph Lundsten as influences the last time around, Himmelsvind could be a cocktail of the past infused with an unhealthy obsession with stuff like Joanna Brouk, Tangerine Dream (Underwater Sunlight) and Albergo Intergalattico Spaziale, though still firmly rooted in the brash contemporary Gothenburg no-fi DIY culture/bunch of lifers. Featuring guest appearances from Elin Engström and Jon Collin, both on guitar. Mastered by Giuseppe Ielasi. W. 12-page booklet.
Discreet Music 01, 2020
Edition of 340 copies
OUT OF PRINT
