Magnus Öström Group – A Room For Travellers

Jazzland

With his positions in adventurous trio Rymden and long-running trio EST as well as plenty of other collaborative work, Magnus Öström‘s standing in the world of genre-pushing jazz is cemented.

Here, with the first outing for his self-titled quartet, the atmosphere is sunnier, more vibrant and world-reaching, drawing the listener’s attention to the current plight of the world and more specifically its oceans. However, rather than pound the message home with darkness and doom, the album has a far more sunny disposition, the whole album smiling through its six long tracks and forty minutes.

Apart from the cymbals, A Room For Travellers feels wrapped up, soft-edged and welcoming, with the momentum arrested at points by moments of wide-eyed wonder; a sense of stopping and gazing around, sucking up the details, fully immersing yourself in everything the world has to offer. Even the guitar breaks are a gentle ebb, embracing rather then denying the low-key accompaniment. As the album progresses, so momentum is maintained, the propulsive rhythm section urging, an arm around the shoulder, drums flash like newspaper on boxes while the bass is a dashing delight.

There is a lot of thought here, as if the listener is being guided to look within and see where we sit in the grand scheme of things. The constant flux is still soothing and the sensation of ceding control the to the group and allowing them to transport us is apparent throughout the album. Generally, they are plying their own furrow, but there is something about the vibe of “Pacific” that brings to mind the instrumental side of “Heroes”, another reflective, considered passage of music with the temporary stasis and minor chord introspection, hints at indecisiveness, moments requiring careful consideration.

The light-footed, nimble and rollicking tempt of “On The High In My Life” is the antithesis; a carnival atmosphere with  a ’70s Brazilian feel, complemented by woodblocks that draw further attention to the already exultant rhythm; but they are never afraid to halt progress and contemplate, these moments always capable of putting further emphasis on the flowing tempo once regained.

A Room For Travellers concludes with the slow and dreamy “All Those Years”, its silky piano solo deft and sparkling, drawing a suitable conclusion to a beautifully recorded and realised suite. We need to think carefully about how we progress over the next few years; but with the likes of Magnus and his quartet to give us inspiration, perhaps it won’t be so hard.

-Mr Olivetti-