CARPTREE – Insekt

“Enter at own risk.” This should be the label on basically any album by Swedish duo Carptree. But, as everyone knows, risk also implies potential flipside reward, right?

The Music

With Insekt, Carptree’s discography now counts four, and they are exclusively under their own label, Fosfor Creation. This means they have given themselves unlimited power to draw the maps exactly the way they want them to be. See, each song takes you into a new terrain, and Carptree’s strength lies in serving you just the right amount of clues and sketches to navigate safely across. The outcome is simply rewarding, and you find yourself taking part in an unusual adventure with both subtle and pronounced realism.

Insekt is a black and white picture with a few, but important, details tainted in more or less realistic colors. It is nothing but amazing to see how Carptree can turn a bleak, chilling mood around and transform it into a passionate flower, bathing in the light and gentle heat of the blessed sun. It is impossible, or at least unjust, to tie this image to one genre in particular, but it will most definitely fall under the Progressive umbrellas, somehow.

The Band

A duo still, Carl Westholm (instruments, music) and Niclas Flink (vocals, words) have created a unique sound, together with their partners in No Future Orchestra. Dynamic is perhaps the word that first comes to mind when trying to describe this sound. The way Niclas Flink brings Carptree’s vision to life and more or less slips into your mind is admirable. And, the moment he is inside, Carl Westholm’s soundscapes and harmonies blend in. No Future Orchestra then virtually consumes your attention with clever arrangements and dedication. When the album is over, you will probably still be under their power.

Worth mentioning in particular from No Future Orchestra are Cia Backman and Öivin Tronstad, who deliver stunning backing vocals, and Ulf Edelönn, who really adds substance to the bottom line with his energetic bass playing.

The Verdict

Insekt is an absolutely brilliant album and likely to be buzzing in your head long, long after it stops playing. So maybe the label should actually read: “Let it enter at your own risk?”