Sir Was

It’s the 20-19-70s on ‘Holding on to a dream’: a heady brew of 'laconica' allied to 40 years old soft-rock (ma)sheenery.

Swedish beat-ball Sir Was (Joel Wästberg) soundtracks his feelings of cultural claustrophobia and his instincts to step forward and leap out: to go forth and multiply his wares.

Following 2016’s ‘Says Hi’ E.P. and debut album ‘Digging a tunnel’ from 2017, Wästberg’s new-found confidence and ease with(in) himself and his world sees him attempt to articulate that desire to escape and identify the transcendental properties of freedom’s fleeting fancies and the longing of liberty which floods through an album where being a part trumps being apart.

The ‘dreams make reality’ ‘Fly Away’ has the wounded yet resilient sound of sop-pop behemoth Gilbert O’Sullivan, backed by a trip-hopscotch of atmospherics and a choral cacophony. Songs of Raise your hands and flap your wings.

‘No giving up’ is a Steely Dannish smooth passage from despair to anywhere, a self-determinative screed to the soul. ‘Deployed’ is a two-duo with compatriots Little Dragon that reminds of Foals covering a Jose Gonzalez number with Prince inflected cooing and wooing.

‘No more separation’ channels Shuggie Otis’s cosmic calling card ‘Strawberry Letter 23’, ‘The sun will shine’ radiates Vitamin D-light: atrip-pop-gospel-blinding experience.

The somatic ‘Somewhere’ is like an off-planet missive striving to break into consciousness, a mantra for a new state of free mind. Anywhere, nowhere, somewhere, just be there.

The Flaming Lips’ shamanic mania infuses ‘Lean into this’: a call and response to the inner voice, languid beats drive the rites of message.

A collection of songs that acts as a luxurious relaxant, as positivity negates negativity and where being outwards will always result in looking forwards.