KosmoKid: Det Är Mycket Viktigt

The debut album from Denmark’s 'most promising jazz act' of 2018 seems intent on turning restraint into a musical virtue

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Det Är Mycket Viktigt (It Is Very Important) is Swedish band KosmoKid’s debut album. The 180-gram vinyl pressing was the result of a successful Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. However, the recording is also available as a digital download and streaming.

The quartet first met whilst studying at the renowned Swedish arts school Skurups Folkhögskola. Altoist Simon Balvig and bassist Jon Henriksson also play in the Scandinavian group Aloft Quartet with two albums under their belt and the group was named as Denmark’s most promising jazz act in 2018.

With its memorable opening head, Fri Lek showcases Balvig’s sumptuous alto followed by some incisive angular guitar from Lage Nordling. The bouncy, almost burlesque Min Familje is deceptive in its apparent simplicity adorned by Nordling’s atypical guitar solo, a veritable Hank Marvin meets Wes Montgomery standout interlude.

To Navigate In Darkness sees Balvig’s urbane vocals precisely executed in unison with Nordling’s guitar, invoking a wistful sense of the late-lamented progmeisters Hatfield And The North. In a similar vein, his wordless singing also manifests itself on Din Fullaste Utveckling. The spacey eeriness at the start of Är Du I Badet (Are You In The Bath) is transformed by guest Britta Virve’s expansive electric piano interspersions.

Svarte I En Stund Som Den Här clearly demonstrates Nordling’s impressive dexterity combined with tasteful restraint and expert finesse. As Miles was oft quoted and to paraphrase the maestro, it’s not what you play that counts, it’s what you don’t play, and that’s sometimes a challenge for electric guitarists, but Nordling has thankfully mastered this seemingly rare-ish quality.

The band received a Malmö City Culture Grant to fund a video of a live concert filmed at the Carbs Collective studio where they played Nordling’s ineluctably elegant composition Det Kalla Havet (also on the album) and which is available to view on YouTube. It’s proof enough that these KosmoKids are going places.

To purchase the album contact the band directly via KosmoKid’s Facebook page or listen on streaming services such as Spotify.

Discography
(1) Fri Lek; Blomstra // Din Fullaste Utveckling; Min Familje; Simon’s Interlude; To Navigate In Darkness; (2) Är Du I Badet; (1) Svarte I En Stund Som Den Här; Det Kalla Havet; Interlude #2 (49.28)
(1) Simon Balvig (as, v); Lage Nordling (elg); Jon Henriksson (b); David Huber (d). (2) add Britta Virves (elp). Stockholm, 2019.
Konkav Records KON014