With »Följd«, Swedish producer Thomas Bodén aka Civilistjävel! releases his latest instalment of smudgy abstract electronic pieces. Sitting at the nexus of ambient and minimal techno, the album follows hot on the heels of last year’s »Brödföda«. For many years Bodén’s music sat unreleased and unheard by the world, until a friend with a label convinced him to put it out. Following a series of archival releases mining his secret catalogue – Civilistjävel! started releasing new music a mere three years ago. His last album went for a bigger sound but »Följd« reconnects with the dark and minimal aesthetic of his early recordings.
For fans of abstract electronica and ambient music, »Följd« is a treat. Each piece is simply given a Roman numeral, picking up from the numbers assigned to the tracks on his last album. Opener »XIII« marries up icy synth textures with snippets of melodica and stark percussion. While ten-minute cut »XVI« is built on a linear progression that sees the layers of atmospheric sound build over a minimal beat before it all breaks away to noise at the track’s culmination. Closer »XIII«, features guest vocals from Thomas Bush, whose lyrics are at times decipherable, but at others just another sound in the sonic stew. Since hooking up with label Felt, Civilistjävel! has been releasing music in a more conventional way and his work has become a lot more straightforward to access. But don’t be fooled, it is still adventurous abstract music that trades in indistinct sounds and evokes barren landscapes while creating dark foreboding atmospheres. »Följd« is a triumph of inky sonic abstraction.
Följd
