So we'll continue our attempts to catch up with a brief mention to an album that slipped in during June, and which probably hasn't got the attention it deserves. 'Fågelvägen' are an indie pop band who hail from the Swedish village of 'Unnaryd', which if Wikipedia is to be believed has less than 1000 inhabitants (and why wouldn't we believe it...) and just looks so beautiful from the pictures. Anyway they released a more folk influenced EP as a duo back in 2017, but then joined together with 2 more musical friends from the village to form the full band, adding indie electronica elements along the way.
'Fågelvägen' is a likeable melodic and musical album, which blends acoustic instruments with those electronic sounds, although I think it's those tracks which demonstrate more clearly their folk and more natural Scandi roots which are most effective. 'I Come to You' is a great demonstration of this, the vocals (which throughout the album are a highlight) have this gorgeous smooth texture to them, and the band are able to create a intense sound when they ramp things up for the climax. 'Long Gone' also highlights those lovely vocals, and I'm reminded of fellow Nordic bands such as 'Kalandra' in the opening too, whilst the harmonies add a richness which really appeals too. Although the organic sound maybe suits my personal preferences most, 'Calling the Quits' really does deliver with it's indie electro influences, where the rhythms and melodies combine for an effective indie pop song. Concluding track 'Your Part' focuses attention onto the lyrics, with beautiful harmonies standing out and subtle musical contributions throughout.
I've really enjoyed getting to know 'Fågelvägen', with their slightly dreamy laid back melodies, natural harmonies and always lovely vocals, and whilst this may not quite get the attention that many other albums will receive, it's the type of album we love to promote at Nordic Music Review. Perfect for a small summer music festival stage somewhere near you, please give the album a try.