Allt Hänger Samman / Allt Hanger Samman

Sagor & Swing's third opus is significantly different from their first two albums, despite the fact that the duo sticks to the same format: dreamy Hammond organ and soft drumming (mostly with brushes or felt mallets). So, where's the difference? The exquisitely naive melodies from Melodier och Fåglar have, for the most part, vanished, leaving room for delicate ambient organ textures. Still dreamy and highly melodious, the music sounds more improvised and foggy. Tracks also segue to form a continuous sound journey. The listener is carried on a cloud through warm Nordic colors and undefined yet welcoming shapes. Occasionally, a yearning melody comes into focus and a tune emerges from the fog, shining like a tiny sun. Among other places, it happens in "Grottmusik," in "Det Sista Äventyret," and in "Alla Sagor Har Ett Slut," and it can send shivers down the listener's spine each and every time. The latter piece, concluding the album, manages to keep us in paradise for a whole six minutes, with a single phrase repeated over and over as the accompaniment varies and grows. Orgelfärger was a first contact, a bit crude and stripped down. Melodier och Fåglar was the hit record, the crowd-pleaser filled with catchy, unforgettable tunes. Allt Hänger Samman requires a bit more getting used to; it demands your attention, but it rewards just as much as the previous two. And it proves that Sagor & Swing have found something very special and long-lasting. Good for them. Fantastic for us. ~ François Couture, Rovi