Our Song of the Day is from Swedish folk trio Small Feet who release their debut album From Far Enough Away Everything Sounds Like The Ocean next month on August 14 via Control Freak Kitten Records/Barsuk. Here is their video for Rivers:
Whilst drawing from American influences their sound is also inspired by their Swedish homeland. Frontman and songwriter Simon Stålhamre was apparently a virtual recluse after leaving school at 15 and whilst working at mundane jobs, built up a wealth of intelligent, imaginative and magical songs inspired by the Swedish darkness but streaked through with vivid colour like his homeland’s aurora borealis.
Encouraged by American ex-pat Jacob Snavely, Stålhamre’s artistic emancipation was spurred on by the inheritance of one of a cluster of historically protected, 18th century cabins on Södermalm, an island in central Stockholm. Owned by the government, the cabins are leased to artists and Stålhamre’s uncle passed his contract on to his musical nephew. He converted the cabin in to a studio and assembled a band (with Snavely on bass and drummer Christopher Cantillo), and it soon came to represent both refuge and breeding ground for Stålhamre’s creativity.
Whatever the reasons behind their creativity, the output is truly quite beautiful.