The myth of Sagor & Swing tells that they are children of nature that grew up in the forest. That they at an early age built their first instruments and isolated from the noise of civilization invented a music of their own. What we know for sure, however, is that they make wonderful organ music and have been doing this for some time now. This is their third album, “Allt hanger samman”.
The woods have thickened. The melodies have become more intricate and the idyllic scenes now have a darker tone. One slips away on excursions in the faintest sounds through passages where the organ is a tone generator built to recreate the sounds of the forest - the wind, the singing of birds, the creaking of roots.
As soon as the majestic introduction “Aterkomsten” begins, one senses that something is going on. In “Lovverk” echoes are heard of Kraftwerk and their endless ostinati and the final “Alla sagor har ett slut” is a magnificent, minimalistic bookending. The moods that are summoned in between the songs keeps one helplessly in the world of Sagor & Swing.
Their previous two albums “Orgelfarger” and “Melodier och faglar” are both small gems deserving wider recognition.
Personnel: Eric Malmberg: Hammond organ; Ulf Moller: drums
Tracks: 1. Aterkomsten, 2. Lovverk, 3. Vid en tjarn, 4. Grottmusik, 5. Polska fran Insjon, 6. Langre in i skogen, 7. Langst inne i skogen, 8. Det sista aventyret, 9. Vandring bort, 10. Flyttfaglar, 11. Alla sagor har ett slut
Review:
“Occasionally a yearning melody comes into focus and a tune emerges from the fog, shining like a tiny sun. Among other places, it happens in ’Grottmusik’ in ’Det Sista Aventyret’, and in ’Alla Sagor Har Ett Slut’ and it sends shivers down this reviewer's spine each and every time. The latter piece, concluding the album, manages to keep us in paradise for a whole six minutes with a single phrase repeated over and over as the accompaniment varies and grows. Orgelfarger was a first contact, a bit crude and stripped down. Melodier och Faglar was the hit record, the crowd-pleaser filled with catchy, unforgettable tunes. Allt Hanger Samman requires a bit more getting used to; it demands your attention, but it rewards just as much as the previous two. And it proves that Sagor & Swing have found something very special and long-lasting. Good for them. Fantastic for us.”
Francois Couture, All music guide