When two of Sweden’s most distinctive creative voices unite, something truly unique emerges. Joakim Åhlund, prolific musician, songwriter and producer who has left an indelible mark on Swedish music once again meets Jockum Nordström, one of the country’s most celebrated contemporary artists. Together they shape a project where alternative, instrumental jazz rock grows into a free and playful force.
Joakim Ahlund has been a member of both internationally successful
groups Caesars and Teddybears and is responsible for evergreens such
as Jerk it out (Caesars) and Cobrastyle, Punkrocker, Hey Boy
(Teddybears) as well as starting and being the main driving force behind
projects like the more space rock oriented Les Big Byrd, indie pop two
man orchestra Smile (With Björn Yttling from Peter, Björn and John)
He has also worked as a songwriter and producer for numerous other artists like
for example Robyn, Giorgio Moroder, Charlie XcX and Håkan Hellström etc.
Jockum Nordström is one of Swedens most internationally acclaimed visual
artists and has had successful exhibitions at museums like the MoMA in NYC
and prestigious art fairs and museums in Paris, Berlin, Japan and all over the
world. The two friends met when Joakim asked Jockum to make the cover art for
his band Caesars' albums. When Joakim found
Mercurial Swede Axel Boman debuts on Aus Music with four spellbinding deep house beauties
Swedish artists pbeatgirl and Joakim Åhlund & Jockum Nordström feature on one track each
Axel Boman has brought playful charm to the underground for nearly two decades. His colourful, emotive sound marries melodic whimsy with warm, cuddly grooves and is underpinned by invention and experimentation in sound design, rhythm and mood. The Studio Barnhus co-founder is an artist who can make you laugh and cry at the same time, as continually shown across more than 20 EPs and four full-length albums on a tasteful array of labels. He strides into 2026 with a first EP for Aus that embodies everything that makes him easy to love and hard to pin down.
First up is 'Night Blooming' feat pbeatgirl - a provocative figure in Sweden's post-pop underground. The sensual late-night lullaby has soft drums and even softer spoken words whispered in your ear. Add in the dreamy synths, and you have perfect house hypnosis. 'Someone Stop Me' slows the tempo but ups the texture with raw, tumbling drum loops, incidental guitar licks and sustained pads that help you zone out and gaze into the distance on a summer's afternoon.
'Svalor Radiosignal (Axel's Dub)' features Joakim Åhlund, who is currently on tour of Australia with his band Les Big Byrd, and is also a guitarist and lead singer in the Caesars band he founded, as well as being a prolific producer. World-renowned multi-disciplinary artist Jockum Nordström works across painting, sculpture and collage and also features. There's a signature Boman innocence and charming naivety to the melodies here. They leave wispy, painterly trails above the smooth, dubby groove and fill you with warmth and comfort. Closer 'Spooky' journeys later into the night with a more rickety, edgy mood, but beautiful, shape-shifting synths are like a tender hand guiding you into darkness.
This is Axel Boman at his most intimate and expressive, a quietly powerful EP for heads-down moments and after-hours warmth.
February 2014 saw the band release their 'Back To Bagarmossen' EP on London/Stockholm indie label PNKSLM Recordings. The 10' vinyl received huge praise both internationally and at home, even picking up mainstream TV coverage on Sweden's TV4. Following the EP, Les Big Byrd are now preparing to unleash their debut full length release, 'They Worshipped Cats', on Anton Newcombe's A Records ,Anton has co written & plays 2 tracks on the album . They are supporting the Brian Jonestown Massacre on their European tour . When Anton recently visited Stockholm with his band The Brian Jonestown Massacre, the guys accidentally ran into each other at a local record shop, and started talking about music. Anton invited the band down to his studio in Berlin to record and jam for a few days and it was there that a big part of "They Worshipped Cats" was conceived and recorded. Les Big Byrd was formed in Stockholm by Joakim Åhlund and Frans Johansson a couple of years ago. They each eventually joined different rock bands that brought them out of Sweden and into a different world. Frans' band Fireside, got signed by Rick Rubin to his label Def American and Jocke had a taste of international success with 60's-influenced garage-pop outfit Caesars, as well as his other, more electronically flavored project Teddybears. They decided that they still - in spite of everything - had their love for music intact, and the dream in common to get the perfect band together and give it one more shot. They recruited Jocke's former bandmate, drummer Nino Keller and keyboardist Konie and started jamming and rehearsing. Joakim had been running a recording studio in Stockholm, writing and producing for Swedish and international artists, including Robyn and Håkan Hellström, and had also directed music videos for prominent Swedish exports such as Bob Hund, Refused, Broder Daniel and The International Noise Conspiracy. Keyboardist Konie also runs a studio in Stockholm, where he's been recording a number of film scores as well as many of Swedens most interesting black metal acts.
February 2014 saw the band release their 'Back To Bagarmossen' EP on London/Stockholm indie label PNKSLM Recordings. The 10' vinyl received huge praise both internationally and at home, even picking up mainstream TV coverage on Sweden's TV4. Following the EP, Les Big Byrd are now preparing to unleash their debut full length release, 'They Worshipped Cats', on Anton Newcombe's A Records ,Anton has co written & plays 2 tracks on the album . They are supporting the Brian Jonestown Massacre on their European tour . When Anton recently visited Stockholm with his band The Brian Jonestown Massacre, the guys accidentally ran into each other at a local record shop, and started talking about music. Anton invited the band down to his studio in Berlin to record and jam for a few days and it was there that a big part of "They Worshipped Cats" was conceived and recorded. Les Big Byrd was formed in Stockholm by Joakim Åhlund and Frans Johansson a couple of years ago. They each eventually joined different rock bands that brought them out of Sweden and into a different world. Frans' band Fireside, got signed by Rick Rubin to his label Def American and Jocke had a taste of international success with 60's-influenced garage-pop outfit Caesars, as well as his other, more electronically flavored project Teddybears. They decided that they still - in spite of everything - had their love for music intact, and the dream in common to get the perfect band together and give it one more shot. They recruited Jocke's former bandmate, drummer Nino Keller and keyboardist Konie and started jamming and rehearsing. Joakim had been running a recording studio in Stockholm, writing and producing for Swedish and international artists, including Robyn and Håkan Hellström, and had also directed music videos for prominent Swedish exports such as Bob Hund, Refused, Broder Daniel and The International Noise Conspiracy. Keyboardist Konie also runs a studio in Stockholm, where he's been recording a number of film scores as well as many of Swedens most interesting black metal acts.
Svenska Folkjazzkvartetten (The Swedish Folk Jazz Quartet) play
traditional Swedish violin music, but as a jazz quartet
The raw, swinging jazz and the beautifully mournful folk tones are woven together
into an extraordinarily powerful mix. Isak Hedtjärn is still quite young but has
already played with jazz legends like Mats Gustafsson, Tristan Honsinger, Christer
Bothén etc. and he has also done work with more left field acts such as
avantgarde punks Viagra Boys and also is a recurring member of Joakim Åhlund
& Jockum Nordström's live band. Together with Jonas Liljeberg he has been
exploring folk music on clarinet and saxophone for quite some time now. They
have made extensive research among old recordings and looked up old Swedish
fiddlers that still live, to learn the tradition, and then tried to find a unique way to
play the traditional music but in their own interpretation. Together with bassist
Vilhelm Bromander
