It is refreshing to find talent like that of Molø, a Swedish DJ and electronic producer. She’s been working on the country’s underground scene for several years now, but her unique artistry has caught the attention of respected figures like Moscoman, Whomadewho, Maya Jane Coles, Undercatt or Kevin de Vries, among others. After releasing EPs like Luma or Hymn, today she debuts her first-ever album, titled Aqua Lull (out via Vivrant). Comprised of seven songs, it is a beautiful journey across dreamy soundscapes that offer solace to those wanting to escape from immediacy culture and two-minutes-long-or-less tracks.
The opening of the album, Levi, creates an enveloping atmosphere that feels like a cocoon. With that, Molø sets the tone of her album, which focuses on the transformative, even healing power of music. With water being the narrative thread of Aqua Lull, we can definitely feel like floating through the Swedish artist’s songs. In Mio, featuring Running Pine, a Berlin-based Iranian vocalist and producer, the base is more upbeat (although definitely not club-oriented). But when Running Pine’s vocals hit, we’re again transported to a place surrounded by shimmering water, probably a lake amidst a magical forest. At seven minutes long, Mio is the longest track in the album, but you never want it to end.
Go starts with a mysterious sound loop that goes in crescendo; it’s sort of unsettling, but it builds up slowly by adding new sounds and effects as it goes by. Balo stays on a similar path, with a stable, loop base that keeps getting new sounds and effects added over as the song progresses. But this one is less eerie and more alien-like, if you catch my meaning. With Idyll, we get to the second song featuring another artist. This time, it’s San Francisco-based Atish, known for a very organic, genre-bending approach to music making. His style is clearly imbued in Idyll, which has a free-flowing melody and base.
Moma was the first (and only) single that Molø had previously released to give us a taste of the album. It starts softly with a piano intro, and then the electronic production hits. Like previous tracks, it’s dreamy and otherworldly, with evocative sounds and in this case, also some vocals. The album finishes with Chelle, featuring fellow Swedish artist boerd. With a classical music training background and after experimenting with everything from electro to ambient, he’s now focused on more downtempo tracks. His influence is definitely there in Chelle, the chillest of the songs in the record. It almost feels like a lullaby, like someone caressing you. The perfect ending to a beautiful journey.