It’s been far too long since we heard from Jens Lekman, 4 years to be precise. His album, ‘Night Falls OVer Kortedala’ was the last we heard – and as good as it was it was time for something new. Maybe the title of his new EP is a clue on what the he’s been up to – internal squabbling between Jens and Lekman perhaps?
Whatever the reasons this EP soon dispels any concerns he was struggling for new material. The title track’s joyful, tropicana-styled intro sweeps you up in a careless dance. The rhythm kicks like an Afrobeat celebration – Lekman’s deep croon and fast talking (acting out an argument he is having within his head) taking it the unique territory we expect from Jens.
Moving on to ‘Waiting for Kirsten’, it clicks like a clock, as the strings swoon, hitting a beat and creating a real highlight – it’s an upbeat ballad led by a clear mandolin and rising chorus.
The EP continually impresses – from the slower ‘A Promise’, where the bright piano and mutating percussion create a forever moving journey, to the semi-reggae, flute-blowing closer ‘So This Guy at my Office’, an arrangement that shouldn’t work – but does.
His everyday lyrics remain as matter-of-fact as ever, and his knack for quirky one-liners remains in tack – “It’s difficult to stand fast, when it’s not your arm nicely wrapped in a cast”.
All in all it’s good to have him back.
Check the title track here:
