Listen: Solander – “The Woods Are Gone”

We could probably just tell you that Solander are Swedish and leave it at that. Such is the ever growing legion of incredible artists that originate from within the Kingdom of the Swedes you would know immediately that this post would include fantastic music and we could just leave you to the listening. That though would not do Solander justice, and this is a song that is deserving of some attention and much love.

Taken from their forthcoming third album, Monochromatic Memories, “The Woods Are Gone” is a hauntingly evocative four minutes of swirling, swooning folk pop. It touches you, washes over you and makes you want to just stop and listen.

The clackity-clack rhythms rattle along like a craft animation of a train on a journey through the snow filled night. A solitary passenger stares out through the corrugated card window, marvelling at all that is around him as scenes, animals and surroundings fold and metamorphosis into new shapes and creatures as the journey progresses. Birds become fish as a lake passes by, trees collapse into buildings as the mountains give way to a village within this dark and fantastical world and all the while the melody floats by the window with deceptive urgency. The strings augmenting the sense of drama while keys and banjos dance an intricate dance of wonder and beauty.

It is the kind of song that makes you subconsciously conduct it; makes you wave your hand around as if standing in front of the duo of Fredrik Karlsson and Anja Linna and their supporting cast of musicians. You’d believe yourself to be caressing the music from within them, when in actuality it is they that are caressing you, your soul and your imagination through melody and sound.

”The Woods Are Gone” is out now and available as a free download from the Solander bandcamp page. Their new album, ‘Monochromatic Memories’, is due to be released in the UK and worldwide in early February on A Tenderversion Recording.

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