As we reach the end of February we’re now deluged with new 2016 releases to listen to, and a real contrast in styles too, as hopefully you’ll see from the bands we’re featuring right now. We’ll try and keep the reviews (relatively) short too, to try and get in as many as we can, and Swaying Wires are the type of band with such sweet laconic music, that it speaks for itself anyway – so hopefully you’ll just go and find out for yourselves.
Their latest album is called ‘I Left a House Burning’, and it’s a follow up to their 2014 release ’Some Blue Sky’, which came before we started the website, even though I have mentioned the album a few times on social media. And this latest album is an equally beautiful creation, soft, dreamy Nordic Folk Americano tracks that keep on giving, no matter how many times you listen to them.
The album opens with ‘Dead Bird’, and as with many of the tracks, the instrumentation is simple enough and based around acoustic guitar and vocals. As ever its Tina Kärkinens vocals that are so critical to the album, they have a softness and an individual beauty, apparently effortless and so perfect that you almost won’t give them any thought. The pace picks up slightly with ‘Nowhere’, whilst ‘Tuesday’s Bells’ even reminds me a tiny of ‘All About Eve’ as it gathers pace. Other standout tracks include the atmospheric ‘Suddenly’, and the sensationally good ‘Ways to Remember’, which is delicately simple and has the most gorgeous of tunes.
Ok…. so I do really like this album, and its been a lovely contrast to a couple more ‘intense’ offerings that I’m listening to right now. I seriously believe there is a big and appreciative multi-national audience out there who has yet to come across Swaying Wires, and that will love what they hear. ‘I Left a House Burning’ is a beautifully constructed and performed album, and I really hope we get to Swaying Wires in the UK one day too.
Nordic Music Review 8 /10