"Acid Air"

Magnus Josefsson has announced his first official album for December under his self-founded label The Mirror Factory. I had the chance to listen to "Acid Air" upfront, and now I want to share my experience with you.

After a few self-released singles and a mixtape for Anette Records, the time had come for Magnus to release a full album – a big step for the heart and soul musician.

Magnus Josefsson founded his label in an old mirror factory in the Swedish province of Småland. The place has since become a home for him and his friends, who all record their music there.

On "Acid Air", Magnus skilfully interweaves post-rock, ambient, dream pop, and shoegaze elements. The picture that emerges is colourful and multi-layered – nostalgic and futuristic at the same time.

Magnus Josefsson delivers an exciting debut album

I like the casual looseness and composure of the record and the artist's very personal way of letting music shine through its simplicity without sacrificing progressiveness.

The ethereal opener "Disappearance" immediately draws me into the middle of the record, which I want to listen through without interruptions from here on. "December" brings a chill note. The beat-setting guitar wanders over the piece and reminds me a bit of the film music from "Twin Peaks" – a little bit 1990s, a little bit 1950s and a lot of 2021.

The journey through time continues harmoniously with "The Map", which became the first pre-release of the album for Magnus. Maybe he felt the way I do about it? At the moment, the track is my favourite one on the LP.

Airy sounds and positive mood

But "Snow" also has something special. When I close my eyes, I can see the snowflakes dancing in front of the windows of the old factory. Do you know that only bright moment when the sun shines over the frozen roofs on a cold January day in the morning? Magnus Josefsson has preserved this glimpse of an eye with this piece.

"Jimmy's House" surprises with airy sounds and incredible lightness. Positive moods seem to come out of the boxes. With this song, it's easy to dream away when autumn seems too grey at times.

"16:16" starts with a funky upbeat and then spins the meditative story further. A hint of guitar melody flashes out, then hides under the layers of sound again and pulls them further away with it.

Soundful and multi-layered

The next piece, "Ostrava", tells a hopeful story about the summer without worries that we are waiting for so longingly. The next highlight of the record, "The Pond", closes the album. You could describe the piece with words like sonorous, diverse and organic. But this would not even hint at what lies beneath the reflective surface of this multifaceted pond of sound.

Magnus recorded his album with guest musicians, including Christoffer Gunrup (The Amazing) on bass and guitar and Sylvester Schlegel (The Ark) on lap steel guitar, drums and synths.

You can also hear Magnus Olsson (Melissa Horn) on drums and Andreas Stellan (Dungen) on synths. Helen Phillips (Starry Skies from Glasgow) contributed her choir vocals. Simon Scott (Slowdive) did the mastering for the record.

"Acid Air" delivers meditative sounds with depth

"Acid Air" lives from its hypnotic-seeming overall mood. Magnus delivers meditative sounds with depth. The guitar lies above everything and somehow sets the pace, although its playing seems to feed off the other instruments' tracks. It makes Magnus Josefsson's new record a one of a kind waking dream.

"The Map" - The first single

With the first pre-release from the record, "The Map", the artist began a journey of getting to know not only his music but also himself:

"The song started as a journey of discovery but then evolved into a compass for the rest of the album."

"December" - the second single

The second chapter, "December", is also the second pre-release from "Acid Air". On this one, Magnus indulges in imaginative post-rock storytelling. The artist told me what inspired him to write it:

"The song is based on a riff I came up with at the soundcheck during a tour in Germany on a cold December day. But when I continued working on it, the guitar riff somehow disappeared, and something else took over. I think 'December' has a great feeling of success and finally reaching the finish line."

As a producer and musician, Magnus is quite prolific. He works with bands like Dungen, Kebnekajse, Anna Järvinen, Joel Alme, and The Amazing. With his band Blända, Magnus has already released three albums and toured Scandinavia. In addition, he has travelled all over Europe with different bands. Most recently, he was on tour with Bondage Fairies.

Since moving to Fröseke after many years away from his Swedish home, which he spent in Berlin, Stockholm, Vienna and Weimar, among other places, he founded his label Mirror Factory there. You can read my interview with him here.

The new album "Acid Air" will be released in mid-November. Today I want to share the first two songs with you.

Magnus Josefsson - "December"

Magnus Josefsson - "The Map

Cover/Picture: Nathalia van de Kerst
Press: Tobias Isaksson, Aloaded