Josefin Ohrn + The Liberation (offset content)

[shadowplay]

I don't post many guitar bands but I thought I'd share this Swedish band while they are on the up slope, in the hope they pluck someone's string. I really liked one of their singles (Take me Beyond), bought their album and then promptly forgot I had it but I dug it out in the wake of their amazing Split EP with fellow Motorik cruisers, the Russian band Gnoomes.

They are nice blend of motorik psyche pop and a more modern pulse. Fuzz and synths like Ebony and Ivory, living together in perfect harmony.

Listen to the whole album Horse Dance on Rocket Recordings ((((((((((((((((((((((Here)))))))))))))))))))))))))))

The split with *Gnoomes (I loved their album and you can listen to in in full here)is flipping brilliant, they serve up a couple of their own songs and remix each other. Btw you don't get MP3's with the vinyl unless you buy from the bandcamp.

Listen to the Josefin Ohrn + The Liberation/ Gnoomes split - Repetitions ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((here))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

They play Jaguars and Jazzmasters, as well as old MIJ semis and Hofner bass.

D

*a really nice Gnoomes live session ofMyriads of Bees off the split.

[shadowplay]

Coven Shadowplay has really been enjoying the new Josefin Ohrn + the Liberation elpee Sacred Dreams.

Tasting notes; Ultra Vivid Scene, Mazzy Star, The Doors, Spritualized, Spacemen 3, Primal Scream, Sparks, JJ Cale, Velvet Underground and gentle kosmische.

On first enounter it's more mature weighting towards 'proper music' left me feeling less enamoured than I was with Mirage it's more spangly predecessor which I really liked and I guess I still do but it's a lovely listen over it's three phases from the more motorik disco pulse of the opening four track salvo, though the slightly rootsy middle section and on into slow flowing tail and it's got good songs and arrangements.

Sounds like faint praise but it's not really meant that way, it's comforting and familiar but not in a bad way really because that's generally a terrible thing and this elpee is an enjoyable way to spend 45 minutes.

London-based psychedelic stalwarts Josefin Öhrn + The Liberation are proud to reveal their third album ‘Sacred Dreams’ for Rocket Recordings. Continuing to dive into the deeper waters of experimentation, ‘Sacred Dreams’ is both a musically hefty amalgamation of reverb drenched space-rock and retro centric electronics, as well as an emotionally cathartic release for the band, marking a new direction and fresh approach.

Since their critically acclaimed album ‘Mirage’ was released, Josefin and writing partner Fredrik have relocated from Stockholm to London and have created a new Liberation around them - this new band consists of the powerful and intuitive assemblage of musicians; Maki (Go Team), Patrick C Smith (Eskimo Chain), Matt Loft (Lola Colt) and Ben Ellis, who’s worked with both Iggy Pop and Swervedriver. ‘Sacred Dreams’ was largely recorded at Press Play Studios (King Krule, Fat White Family, Yves Tumor, Stereolab, High Llamas and many others) run by Andy Ramsay of Stereolab, who also produced and even programmed his non synced drum machines adding a lot of inspiration to the album.

‘Scared Dreams’ invites you into the bands own dimensional soundscape, a world built with transcendental guitars, driving grooves and otherworldly, enchanting vocals, altogether seeped in layers of blissfully produced synths. Opener and lead single ‘Feel The Sun’ encapsulates this new direction perfectly before the anthemic ‘I Can Feel It’ makes the bands intentions known. Elsewhere playful 80s electronics sit alongside a shoegaze sensibility effortlessly and amongst the textured flow of the LP emerge pop hooks like the infectiously bluesy ‘Baby Come On’.

Josefin tells us “This album comes out of a period of heartbreak, loss and dissolution, but also of deep love, warmth and beauty unveiled in the middle of it. A sacred dream, the way we see it, is not necessarily a golden fluffy cloud river, but instead also contains all the shadows that need to be seen and felt in order to drop what has to go in order to truly live. And the dissonance of such a dream may not be immediately apparent, let alone the meaning of it. In a way all of these tracks seem to emanate from that place where we have almost reached a new shore, or maybe we missed it and are headed somewhere else entirely, but there’s no way of telling until afterwards.”

D

[Bert Camenbert]

Take me beyond is clearly inspired by Neu! I like it.

[mezcalhead]

Sounds like it's maintaining the high standard of the first album. I've always liked Andy Ramsay's production work as well (or maybe I'm just used to listening to it).

[shadowplay]

Sounds like it's maintaining the high standard of the first album. I've always liked Andy Ramsay's production work as well (or maybe I'm just used to listening to it).

Horse Dance was decent but I really like Mirage.

D

[mezcalhead]

Sorry I meant Mirage, i.e. should've said "first album (of theirs that I bought)" - concrete thinking there on my part.