JJ Ulius is the most diverse and prolific musician in Gothenburg's world-beating scene. You'll know last year's debut solo single (tipsy Teardrop Explodes psych punk) and you really need to hear Monokultur's album this year (motorik dub meets early 80s electronic ambience). His main band, Skiftande Enheter, were the least interesting project - smash and grab punk, nothing to add. Until the release of Snubblar genom drömmar.
Somehow, for whatever reason, Ulius has discovered Felt's Forever Breathes The Lonely Word. Swirling keyboards and guitars that sound like pins popping in your head. What the flipping flip? Let my research team spring into action.
"Skiftande Enheter started out as a punk band, not the noisiest kind but still noisy enough to scare away the most sensitive ears. Our new record IS noisy but its not really punk anymore, more like pop or new wave or postpunk or something like that. It is probably a bit more accessible too...I have my personal favourites, like the title track ”Snubblar genom drömmar (stumbling through dreams)” In my ears it sounds a bit like a felt song from the ”Forever breaths the lonely word”-era, done our way. Another favourite is ”Min hand i din (My hand in yours)” that has some of the feeling of the most velvet-worshipping Beat Happening-songs."
Such self-awareness. If every musician was as spot on about what they'd recorded we'd never need reviews. And if magazines did their best of lists at the end of the year they'd have space for this album somewhere near the top.
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