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Album
Basko Believes
Idiot's Hill LP
(Rootsy.nu)

Price: 99 SEK

Gatefold sleeve + printed inner sleeve

Basko Believes (Swedish singer-songwriter Johan Örjansson) took all the money he had, bought a plane ticket, and flew over the Atlantic to record his album Idiot’s Hill. He followed his heart. He’d received a series of emails from McKenzie Smith and Joey McClennan from Midlake who had repeatedly reminded him of their invitation to come over and record an album with musicians from their highly acclaimed local network. The plan was to record the album at Redwood studio in Denton, a town famed for its music scene. Johan understood that he was putting a great deal at risk. Not just the money and the audience that he’d already built up in Sweden, but also, and this was perhaps the most painful part, his relationship with his Swedish bandmates who were also his closest friends and who were unable to join him.

However, as a result of constant touring in 2011 and 2012 and many meetings with highly respected international artists (including long tours with Israel Nash Gripka) his desire to make a change had now grown too strong. His motivation and drive to make an album without any compromises could no longer be held back. And you can hear that on this superb production. Dark and introvert? Actually, not at all. This is not a record that is intended to make you feel uncomfortable. It is far more provocative than that. It’s that unusual thing: a naturally beautiful record that is intended to be just that. The romantic, dreamlike songs create a holistic harmonic portrait of a singer and his musicians who are very aware that they are recording something special. One hears and feels that this is an artist who has got his priorities right. To be brave and true and yet at the same time take the act of creation with the greatest seriousness.

The album “Idiot’s Hill is not a dream that has been fulfilled. No it’s something far cooler than that. It is a dream that is coming true right now. No one has ever been in any doubt about the fact that Johan has one of Sweden’s finest voices and an extraordinary melodic talent. He’s something unusual: a Swedish Americana/soul/pop/ rock singer and songwriter of obvious international class. Otherwise the guys from Midlake would never have nagged him so that they could be involved and produce and play on the album. There was something that had been standing in the way all the time for the big breakthrough. But by adopting the new name Basko Believes and a radically changed relationship to his music, Johan has done what only a few artists dare to do. Namely to follow his feelings and his intuition 100 per cent, to dare to create his own musical vision and be prepared to pay the price necessary to begin all over again. To be brave enough to do the right thing.

So how do Basko Believes and his “Idiot’s Hill” sound? Johan knew exactly what he was doing when he went to Denton, Texas. Not only would he get to work with some of the most highly respected musicians in the alternative rock/indiepop scene. In Midlake’s music there is something that Johan had always heard in his own head but somehow hadn’t managed to capture on his earlier albums. With tasteful, rather sophisticated arrangements and rich orchestration, Midlake succeed in creating those images and atmospheres which Johan had lacked in his music. It was very clear to him that Mckenzie Smith and Joey McLellan were the gatekeepers to that sound he was after. They had access to the best musicians The kind who could manage the balancing act of filling out the songs on “ Idiot’s Hill” with beautiful arrangements and big orchestration without for a millisecond distracting from Johan’s sensitive voice and feeling for pop and melodies. He was proved right.

At the core of all the songs is Johan’s carefully crafted personal compositions and his voice which has ever been more convincing. On top of this is the rhythm section with Mckenzie Smith on drums, Joey McClellan on guitars and Aaron McClellan (from Israel Nash Gripka’s band) on bass. The other musicians playing are Eric Swanson on pedal steel (ING), Kaela Sinclair on vocals, Evan Jacobs (former Midlake) on keyboards, Jesse Chandler (Midlake) on flute, Buffi Jacobs ( The polyphonic spree) on cello, Daniel Hart ( former The polyphonic spree) on fiddle and David Pierce, Pete Clagett and David Monsch on horns.

1. In A Glade
2. Wolves
3. Waiting
4. Lift Me Up
5. Going Home
6. The Entertainer
7. Rain Song
8. Archipelago Winds
9. Leap Of Faith
10. Out Of A Glade

Other albums by Basko Believes: