Losing his mother when he was twelve, Albert af Ekenstam and his sister were forced to grow up more or less alone. Ashes is in part a meditation on loneliness and inner-strength, how determination can not only co-exist with but actually derive from fragility. As such, grief and sadness colour the songs but do not define them, leaving that to the incandescent moments of defiance and joy which spit and spark through the dark, like fireflies on a summer’s night, embers blown high on the wind.

To help us better understand the range of emotions that went into Ashes, Albert af Ekenstam has crafted us a list of songs, one for every situation and circumstance that cropped up during the creation of the record. Not only does it serve as a great way to explore the influences behind Albert’s work, it also makes for a rather beautiful listen.

When you dream…

Ashes is out today (14th October) via Kning Disk and you can get it from iTunes or listen via Spotify.

The post The songs behind Albert af Ekenstam’s Ashes appeared first on Various Small Flames.

15). Swans – To Be Kind

(Mute / Young God)

14). Mogwai – Rave Tapes

(Sub Pop)

13). Madlib / Freddie Gibb – Piñata

(Madlib Invazion)

12). Deerhoof – La Isla Bonita

(Polyvinyl)

11). Aphex Twin – Syro

(Warp)

10). FKA Twigs – LP1

(Young Turks)

9). Ava Luna – Electric Balloon

(Western Vinyl)

8). Inventions – Inventions

(Temporary Residence)

7). Small Wonder – Wendy

(Father / Daughter) [Review]

6). This Will Destroy You – Another Language

(Suicide Squeeze)

5). Mac Demarco – Salad Days

(Captured Tracks)

4). Strands of Oak – HEAL

(Dead Oceans) [Review]

3). Cloud Cult – Unplug

[Review]

2). Caribou – Our Love

(Merge / City Slang)

1). Field Report – Marigolden

(Partisan) [Review]

The post Wake The Deaf’s Top Albums of 2014 appeared first on Various Small Flames.

As the band name and verbose song titles suggest, Hope Only Brings Pain is an instrumental album that aims somewhere between post-rock stalwarts Mogwai and GSY!BE and chirpier electronic acts such as Animal Collective and Cut Copy. It’s either dancable post-rock or exceptionally dark and brooding dance music. The album refuses to settle into an identifiable rhythm, changing styles from track to track.  One moment it could be a popular festival hit and the next it could soundtrack some neon-drenched sci-fi dystopia, Hope Only Brings Pain is constantly morphing just when you think you have it pinned down and comparable to something else.

The album is scheduled to be released on 14th March, 2013 so keep an eye out for it.

The post The Suicide of Western Culture – The Hope Only Brings Pain appeared first on Various Small Flames.