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The Thing Is

from Wild Hxmans by Christian Kjellvander

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Laura Nasui
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Laura Nasui I don’t have a habit of making end-of-year lists 'cause imo, the volume, variety and quality of music constantly being released makes it difficult to compare one to another or rank. I don’t need that kind of pressure in my life 😬 !
However, I do believe Christian Kjellvander’s “Wild Hxmans” would easily fit into my top 3 of 2018.
Having been born in Sweden, moved to Seattle with his family when he was 6, and then moved back to Sweden when he was 16, it’s not hard to realise his music is a beautiful blend of several styles, ranging from americana, jazz, folk and singer-songwriter, to cinematic experimentalism and minimalist ambient.
This is not easy, breezy music, no matter how much the lovely album cover might suggest it.
It is exquisitely dark.
It is perfectly overwhelming.
And it is hard on the stomach, at least at first contact.
But once it all sinks in, underneath all that palpable existentialist gloom, you will find a spark of optimism and a lesson to be learned in almost every track.
The clever and loose casualness with which his lyrics approach topics like a syrian refugee that works as curtain maker in Italy, the death of his father and brother (“The thing is”), or dealing with disease (“Stiegga”), is one of the many facets of Kjellvander’s brilliance as a lyricist and songwriter.
Also, the manner in which he exposes his thoughts through the haunting baritone voice he was gifted with, and ingeniously spreads them out on top of the oscillating mood of the instrumentals, does nothing but perfectly amplify the gloaming beauty that he is trying to spill out onto the world.
Mentions of similarities between his music and Leonard Cohen, Neil Young and David Sylvian are present in most online reviews, and I’ll add Nick Cave to that mix, because if you liked “Skeleton Tree”, you will most definitely love “Wild Hxmans”.
And just so you know, these two albums sit next to eachother on my shelf!
. Favorite track: The Thing Is.
￦ℍ₳†🝗√🝗Я ✧⌊Ø₴ ₳Ⓝ₲🝗⌊🝗₴ ✧
￦ℍ₳†🝗√🝗Я ✧⌊Ø₴ ₳Ⓝ₲🝗⌊🝗₴ ✧ thumbnail

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from Wild Hxmans, released October 26, 2018

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Christian Kjellvander Österåker, Sweden

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