KAIPA - Sommargryningsljus
(Inside Out 2024) Limited CD Mediabook with extensive 24-pages booklet, Gatefold 180g 2LP & as Digital Album
Legendary Swedish progressive folk-fusion-rockband KAIPA returns in June 2024 with their 15th studio album “Sommargryningsljus”.
Sommargryningsljus contains eight tracks portraying a nocturnal journey from dusk until dawn, with the first two tracks representing the twilight and the closing two indicating dawn. This nighttime odyssey can be seen as a metaphor for the state between death and rebirth, or as an allegory of life told in reverse.
As a bonus track Sommargryningsljus (single edit) is included where the entire song can be heard as it was originally written including Sommarskymningsljus.
In the summer of 1964 Hans Lundin's musical career started when he became a member of his first band as organist and singer. He says that the following years were "the best education I could ever get". Nine years later in 1973 he formed the group KAIPA.
Now 60 years into his career he and his current bandmates Per Nilsson, Jonas Reingold, Darby Todd, Patrik Lundström & Aleena Gibson are proud to announce the release of Kaipa's 15th studio album Sommargryningsljus (Summer Dawn Light).
”A whispering dawn the sun's on its way to open up a brand new day out of the shadows of the night” is the opening phrase of the song Songs in Our Hands.
The dawn theme has always been close to Hans Lundin's heart in his songwriting. On the self titled debut album released in 1975, 49 years ago, he wrote about this in the song Se var morgon gry. Also in the songs Dagens port and Visa i sommaren on the following albums he returned to this theme. With the new album he closes the circle and returns to where it all began.
The basic structures of two of the songs on the album (Seven Birds & Spiderweb Train) were originally written in the late 90's. The same period as the songs for Kaipas comeback album Notes from the past (2002) were written.
Hans comments: I found two old long instrumental songs that I really liked. I only had the songs mixed on a cassette tape. At the time when they were recorded, I used an Atari computer and the Logic program Notator where I could record midi-files addressed to all my different keyboards. The songs were saved on a floppy disc. I managed to transfer these midi-files into my modern recording system and slowly I could build up these old songs again. I had to dust off a couple of old synthesizers, that had not been used for many years, to find some of the original sounds I used at that time. I edited the songs, removed some parts and wrote some new bridges. I also decided to use some of the instrumental melodies as vocal tracks and wrote lyrics. One of the songs was called Seven Birds and it inspired me to write lyrics where I could keep the title intact. Some of the synthesizer solos on these tracks are actually recorded in the 90's. Working with these songs was really fun and inspiring and I felt I was building a bridge between the past and the future, the old and the new. This is the 10th KAIPA album on Inside Out and I think it's logical to celebrate this with two songs that are like a melting pot, born some 25 years ago and dressed up for success today.
Tracklist:
1. Sommarskymningsljus 1:30
2. Seven Birds 9:50
3. Like Thousand Dawns 11:08
4. Revelationview 9:28
5. Chased by Wolves and Burned by the Sun 10:17
6. Spiderweb Train 15:29
7. Songs in Our Hands 13:00
8. Sommargryningsljus 3:58
Bonus track
Sommargryningsljus (single edit) 5:24
Hans Lundin: Keyboards & vocals
Per Nilsson: Electric & acoustic guitars
Darby Todd: Drums
Jonas Reingold: Electric basses
Patrik Lundström: Vocals
Aleena Gibson: Vocals
Special guests:
Elin Rubinsztein: Violin
Fredrik Lindqvist. Recorders & whistles
Olof Åslund: Saxophone
Release date June 28th 2024
Legendary Swedish progressive rock band KAIPA are pleased to announce the release of their landmark 2002 album ‘Notes From The Past’ for the first time ever on vinyl, celebrating its 20th anniversary. Especially remastered, this new edition will also be available on digital services, as well as Gatefold 180g 2LP+CD, on the 9th December 2022.
‘Notes From The Past’ was the bands 6th studio album, and first new music after a 20-year break. It saw Hans Lundin once again joined by Roine Stolt as well as Jonas Reingold, Morgan Ågren, Patrik Lundström & Aleena Gibson.
“Kaipa again sound like no one but themselves, and for me they instil all that can be good about progressive rock. And if this isn’t at the top of my list of albums for 2022, I’ll be astonished.”
”10/10 MASTERPIECE - Songwriting: 10 - Musicianship: 10 - Memorability: 10 - Production: 10.”
"Swedish prog pioneers on splendid form. It is hard to imagine a more sumptuous encapsulation of the lavish symphonic rock they have peddled since 1973."
”Kaipa remains one of the best players in the genre. Urskog is another accomplished and entertaining album of the same. Easily recommended 5/5.”
”A must listen for all lovers of Progressive sounds, an album that contains the essence of the genre, in my opinion a real masterpiece.”
”If you need a dose of prog-positivity, look no further than Kaipa’s Urskog. Their nature-inspired tunes will take you on an uplifting aural voyage 5/5.”
"This album is full of life, you can sense how the seasons change and how life develops as a result. The whole record is very life affirming and an absolute joy to listen to. I heartily recommend it to all prog fans.".
”New music that makes me feel melancholic, I have nothing more to wish for.”
”Deeply impressive album by Swedish veterans.”
"One story after another, Kaipa are still growing stronger and keeping these continuous stories, more tighter than ever. And they still have it, many years later."
Legendary Swedish progressive folk-fusion-rockband KAIPA returns in April 2022 with their 14th studio album “Urskog” and a new drummer.
Urskog takes the listener on a breathtaking journey through the Swedish wilderness and the changing seasons. Hans Lundin's six new compositions draw influences from the landscapes he witnesses during his solitary countryside biking treks as well as from a less known part of his own vast song catalogue.
Hans comments: Most of the songs were written in 2018. At the time I was working on the 6-CD box “Hans Lundin: The Solo Years 1982-1989”, and revisiting my old solo albums informed my songwriting process for “Urskog”. Listening to these old compositions influenced my new compositions in a general way; there were also few instances where I took a nice chord structure or a melodic fragment of an old song and turned it into something entirely new. I also sampled some sounds from the 80's that can be heard on the new album.
The album opens with “The Frozen Dead of the Night”, a 19 minute epic that takes us from the cold and bleak midwinter into the spring and its promise to start life anew. The album's closing song “The Bitter Setting Sun” mirrors this theme as it's time to say goodbye to the summer as we watch the leaves falling and recall memories from summer nights when the sun refused to set. The title track “Urskog” takes us deep into the heart of the Swedish primeval forest, evoking images of old folklore with its Swedish lyrics.
While the rest of the band's lineup remains intact, Urskog introduces new drummer Darby Todd from London, UK. Guitarist Per Nilsson explains: When the time came around to start tracking drums, Morgan wasn't available within any reasonable timeframe so on Morgan's own suggestion, we decided to amicably part ways. Morgan's fantastic and imaginative drumming has adorned the music of Kaipa for almost two decades and eight albums, but for what it's worth, we felt that this could be an opportunity to bring some new grooves and new sounds into Kaipa. While Hans had a few ideas for the drummer position I only had one person in mind, someone whose creativity and chops rival those of Morgan's but with more of a hard-hitting rock edge, and upon seeing a few videos of this guy bashing the skins Hans was convinced too. So, it brings us great joy to present to you mr Darby Todd as the new drummer for Kaipa! Darby has a resumé fitting a musician of his caliber, having played with Devin Townsend, The Darkness, Gary Moore, Martin Barre and many more, and while the guy is capable of expertly playing everything from death metal to soft jazz, he's got a strong own voice on his instrument and it's been exciting hearing him take these six new Kaipa tunes to the skies... and beyond!
Lean back, relax and immerse yourself in the sonic forest of Urskog, or better yet use it as the soundtrack for your own wilderness excursion!
Limited CD Digipak, Gatefold 180g 2LP + CD & as Digital Album.
Release date April 29th 2022.
KAIPA:
Hans Lundin – keyboards, vocals
Per Nilsson – guitars
Jonas Reingold – bass
Darby Todd – drums
Patrik Lundström – vocals
Aleena Gibson – vocals
Special guests:
Elin Rubinsztein - violin
Olof Åslund - saxophone
01 The Frozen Dead of the Night [18:52]
02 In a World of Pines [10:04]
03 Urskog [7:57]
04 Wilderness Excursion [8:57]
05 In the Wastelands of My Mind [6:13]
06 The Bitter Setting Sun [15:20]
"Hans Lundin: The Solo Years 1982 – 1989" limited 6-cd box (Tempus Fugit 2019)
KAIPA's mastermind Hans Lundin released three solo albums in the 80's. “Tales” in 1984, “Visions of Circles of Sounds” in 1985 and “Houses” in 1989. With a childlike sense of wonder he created his own musical landscapes switching back and forth between grand majestic beauty and tiny joyful playfulness. Mostly working on his own he sometimes also invited some old friends as guest musicians. You can hear former Kaipa members Roine Stolt, Max Åhman, Ingemar Bergman and Mats Löfgren. Ulf Wallander, Hasse Bruniusson and several more musicians can also be heard.
This limited 6-cd box includes Hans first two solo albums "Tales" and "Visions of Circles of Sounds" remixed 2018 with full lengnth versions of all the songs + Hans third solo album "Houses" remastered 2018.
Plus three bonus albums with previously unreleased material:
"The Veiled Seveneyed Dancer" (a previously unreleased album recorded 1986-1987)
“In Search of the Green Glass" (contains songs and demos recorded 1980–1984)
"Okänt Öde" (an album with Kaipa demos, vocal tracks with Swedish lyrics and instrumental songs recorded 1979-1984.
Release date: March 29th 2019
KAIPA: Children of the Sounds (Inside Out 2017) CD, Gatefold 2-LP + CD
The result is as colourful musically and lyrically as KAIPA devotees will expect from the band’s rich discography dating back to the debut opus released in 1975. Formed in 1973, KAIPA never shied away from experimentation, embracing fresh elements and sounds manifesting especially on the albums released in the 2000’s. ‘Children Of The Sounds‘ is no exception, the album burns with creative fervour and spirit most vividly displayed on the title track, the 17 minutes long “On The Edge Of New Horizons” or closing track “What’s Behind The Fields”. It embodies a powerful, positive energy and artistic brilliance that is irresistible and true to the genre’s very essence.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first KAIPA album originally released 1975 all five studio albums Kaipa recorded 1975-1982 have been remastered and re-released on CD. The three first albums also on LP.
KAIPA: Sattyg (Inside Out 2014) CD, Gatefold 2-LP + CD
The unique mix of Swedish folk music, rock and fusion with a tinge of medieval music has given the band a special place in many peoples heart all around the world. The magic sense of wonder that characterizes their latest albums has been taken to a new level with “Sattyg”. Unpredictable paths are discovered on this new expedition and as always they take you to explore new exciting horizons but at the same time the band returns to its roots to bring you familiar classic Kaipa music.
Kaipa: Vittjar (Inside Out 2012) CD, 2-LP + CD
"Vittjar" is Kaipa's 11th studio album and it continues the musical journey that explored new grounds with the highly acclaimed album "In the wake of evolution" 2010. The addition of the eminent guest-musicians Fredrik Lindqvist (recorders & whistles) and Elin Rubinsztein (violin) further underlines the folk influences in the music.
