Regarded as one of Sweden’s most important artists, Thåström is primed with new album ‘Den Morronen’. Following on from his last excursion, that was the rather successful ‘Beväpna Dig Med Vingar’, this latest release follows in similar footsteps with a considerable amount of reflective and darkened tales set to an electronic musical backdrop. Made up of nine tracks, ‘Den Morronen’ was produced in a combined effort by Thåström, Niklas Hellberg and Ulf Ivarsson, with fellow musicians Pelle Ossler, Conny Nimmersjö and Anders Hernestam coming on board to help realise the album’s contents, which were recorded in the locations of Berlin, Stockholm and Karlstad, it soon becomes clear that much effort has gone into this latest album. Kicking things off with the dour beat of ‘Gräsfläckar’ and proceeding along the same lines with the album’s title track, Thåström illuminates such dark tales with his poetic way with words, that are often expressed in a croaked manner and has an ability to sound world-weary without necessarily meaning so. It’s the attention to detail of these tales, however, that compels best of all, with the rattling of everyday life – surface noise as a certain Mr Peel referred to – in the background of the passionate ‘Ner Mot Terminanlen’; funeral march feel to ‘Kom Med Mig’ and the unfolding drama of ‘Alltid Va På Väg’ that will see the name Thåström continue to be highly regarded in his homeland but, hopefully, elsewhere as well because ‘Den Morronen’ is deserving of a much broader audience.

Freedom over expression is definitely the way forward and something Jezus Factory continue to provide with the latest project from Craig Ward & Radboud Mens’ ‘The Drive To Taxonomy’. Seemingly unable to switch off the creative thoughts accumulating in his mind, Craig Ward, who is known for his work with a diverse bunch of musical outfits including dEUS, Kiss My Jazz, The Frames, A Clean Kitchen Is A Happy Kitchen and, more recently, a collaboration with Mark Mulholland, wheels out his latest release on a previously thought extinct format (i.e. cassette) as a limited edition, and with no real press release other than a discussion involving what constitutes as a ‘real’ record label these days. Driven by practicalities regarding the decision involving a cassette release, as well as moving away from the standard CD format for this particular occasion, ‘The Drive To Taxonomy’ consists of two sides of experimental, ambient, electronic music.  The pulse is barely audible once the first side of ‘Parts 1, 2 & 3’ gets underway, with shards of light becoming visible gradually, and then made more prominent by bouts of droning and stabs of electronica that eventually breaks off into smaller pockets of sounds that bleep and whirr incessantly before finding their way to the surface. Side two is a coarser terrain, with electronic sounds jarring and fizzing, but most notable is the fullness given to the overall sound where segments are plumper in their expressions and the volume is given a boost, yet ever so sparingly. As with most instrumental efforts, individual interpretations will vary greatly such are its qualities to drum up different feelings with each and every listen. Therefore, ‘The Drive To Taxonomy’ is no different from such interpretations because its qualities are endless due to the many different levels this album inhabits.

It has been two years since the collaboration with Rihanna on the huge success that was ‘Stay’, but now Micky Ekko is ready to open his own recording account with the album ‘Time’. Whether a stretch working on production duties and honing his skills as a songwriter was deemed necessary by Ekko himself, then the wait has been worthwhile because ‘Time’ is an assured long player. Such an assertion can be gleaned from the confident manner of opening song ‘Watch Me Rise’, as it remains strong in its pursuit of hard fought goals while others equally deserving of success fall before the final hurdle. By making use of synths and other electronics, Micky Ekko creates a broad palette of sounds that, when combined, delivers a series of memorable songs such as the passionate ‘Love You Crazy’ and soulful vocals of ‘U’. There is a darker twist to this album as well, which makes itself clear with the down on its luck narrative of ‘Smile’; rockier rhythm of the quite superb ‘Riot’ and then change of tactic, instrumentally, with the introduction of acoustic guitar and orchestral strings adding to the plaintive emotions contained within the album’s title song. By setting his own path for creative discovery and seemingly given the freedom to do so – the doubleheader containing the use of the word doves for example – Micky Ekko is a beguiling talent and one who has just written an album’s worth of equally fascinating material that is, at times, accessible and on other occasions demands a bit more from its listeners, which is precisely what you get with ‘Time’ and gratefully so.

Drumming up inspiration for a song idea can be a troublesome task for many artists, but it is a process that sometimes derives from the strangest of places or situations whereby the creative spark that has been absent for a period of time suddenly ignites in to life. Such a process occurred for singer-songwriter Siv Jakobsen, albeit under a stressful episode, when her car careered in to the rear of a vehicle somewhere on the outskirts of San Francisco due to a lapse in concentration. The saving grace from this particular episode was that it helped to inspire the opening line of first single ‘How We Used To Live’, which was recorded at Ant Food, Virtue & Vice and Stadium Red Studios in Brooklyn NY. The single itself is a parting of the ways of a former relationship gone sour, but one that still weighs heavy on the mind judging by the sadness held in the vocal with its mumbled expression given added sorrow by the delicate tinkling of piano and guitar strings. With comparisons being made to Ane Brun and Laura Marling, ‘How We Used To Love’ is a sincere recollection of a period in time that still has the ability to twinge the senses as far as its author is concerned, which earmarks Siv Jakobsen as one to watch.

The duo of vocalist Zooey Deschanel and guitarist/vocalist M. Ward interpret a collection of standards dating from the1930s, and conclude around the latter half of the 1970s. Having wheeled in a twenty-piece orchestra to add to the dextrous guitar playing and fine vocals, the moods and sounds of the various periods focused on here are often recaptured; the smoky jazz feel of ‘Stars Fell On Alabama’ being one such example that transports the listener back to its original conception in 1934. With ‘Classics’ having been recorded during a two week period, the attention to detail and warm intimacy Deschanel and Ward bring to the majority of songs is quite remarkable and, in the process, allows for an insight into the artists and compositions which enthralled them during their early years and, in many ways, has influenced their career to date. Speaking loudly in terms of its performance, ‘Teach Me Tonight’ is the very essence of a duo having sharpened their trade, and now leading from the front with a wealth of experience, such is the song’s graceful delivery. By adding heavyweight numbers, as far as their status goes, with French singer-songwriter Charles Aznavour’s ‘She’, given a husky rendition by M. Ward, and the often associated ‘Unchained Melody’ with the Righteous Brothers, despite being recorded by several different artists during the 50s, given a pared back rendition. The infectious sway of ‘Stay Awhile’, however, beats all to the finishing line with Deschanel’s vocal intoxicating and highlighting the ethereal qualities sitting at the back of her throat, complimented by the subtle twang of guitar that reintroduces Dusty Springfield’s minor hit back in ’64 to great effect. It’s business as usual as She & Him can do nothing wrong because ‘Classics’ is another fine album in their steadily increasing repertoire.

Recorded live in what can best be described as their ‘second home’ in terms of the city of Berlin, Depeche Mode is set with their latest release ‘Live In Berlin’. Available to purchase as a double CD or box set consisting of ‘Live In Berlin’ DVD, double CD, as well as an additional DVD – ‘Alive In Berlin’ – comprising of concert and backstage footage and interviews with band members directed by Anton Corbijn, ‘Live In Berlin’ provides an insight of Depeche Mode’s successful ‘Delta Machine’ tour, which saw the band take in thirty-two countries and performing to over two million people. With such wealth in riches when it comes to their back catalogue, Depeche Mode pick a fine balance of old favourites, such as ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’, along with tracks from the band’s highly regarded ‘Violator’ – ‘Enjoy The Silence’ and ‘Personal Jesus’ – and live favourite ‘Never Let Me Down Again’ from ‘Music For The Masses’. Most pleasing of all, however, was the decision to revaluate one of the key turning points in their career to date with the cobwebs being removed from their ‘Black Celebration’ album, which even sees the surprise inclusion of the song ‘But Not Tonight’ – a former B-side of the single ‘Stripped’ – and Martin Gore in fine fettle behind a solitary piano. With recent songs living up to those of old – in particular the menacing and drawn out beats of ‘Welcome To My World’ and really getting into character of ‘Angel’ – there is something here for all Depeche Mode devotees and those more in tune with recent Depeche Mode activity. ‘Live In Berlin’ is a worthy account of Depeche Mode’s still healthy live presence, and a great showcase of a band’s history meeting with the present, rendering this release as absolutely essential.