Best of 2020
In typical Swedish underground style, here's the first vinyl pressing of a four track collection originally self-released as a super-limited cassette back in 2018, which is now also typically pressed in such low number it'll likely be gone before most know it's out...SO TAKE NOTE!
We keep talking about what's going on in Gothenburg at the moment, and a catalyst for a lot of the current activity can be traced back to Gustaf Dicksson, who has been releasing under the Blod moniker since 2014. Unless you run with a certain set out there, it's near-impossible to keep track of the full Blod output, which, from what I can divine from the parts I've managed to locate, seems to range freely between new age, ambient, free-jazz, avant folk, field recordings & non-music. It's the former that Livets Ord explores with a truly singular detail across nearly 70 minutes of minimal synth compositions that drone, spiral and whirr with a sinister zeal, not so much spiritual as cult-like. A lot of Blod's music is tagged as 'religious' on Discogs, which I'd imagine is either a piss-take or it means 'Midsommer' - or both! The second track here is called Idiotmusik (the name of a larger series Dicksson is working on), and it's hard not to see this as some kind of veiled critique aimed at organised religion. Either way, Livets Ord is that kind of record that finds dark in the light, and is an absolute must for anyone who's found an interest in Blue Chemise, Brannten Schnurre, or the more recent Treasury of Puppies and Oroskallan records. Double LP, 300 only.
