EMPTY

1. Time to Turn the Page intimate beach to set the scene with the warm, dark organ 2. End of Their Road with this latency which takes me back to the works of Jeff Buckley for the decadent, melancholic rock air, full of sensitivity 3. Harbinger of Sorrow and 4. He's Not Me give off a lively, flayed atmosphere, on a redundant spleen crescendo, the Floydian guitar on a squeaky slide guitar 5. Black & White on a mid-tempo which leers on the depressive moribund air between Cohen and Gilmour; but it is indeed Kristoffer's voice to give a feeling of warm twilight coldness 6. Down We Go for the first of the 2 long pieces, a soft, ethereal crescendo with a fabulous guitar solo as the climax that would make the great David pale; sublime piece, especially if the person no longer plays Floyd songs.

7. Turn It All Around with a fluid sound, frolicking on the works of the Magyar Posse; musical poetry, languorous violin, a nugget that eyes its rise towards a cheerful Philip Glass 8. Means to an End for the spine-chilling symphonic climb 9.Beautiful Decay piano and slide guitar from Louisiana, dark folk rock again, yes it is by going to the depths of the bayous that we can find hope; the organ helps, the violin too and we start dancing arm in arm to ward off bad luck; title to listen to in good mental condition 10. The Brittle Man for the paradoxical title with its symbolic climb onto a musical scaffold, or how to associate black with hope 11. Saturated changes register, the invasive Floydian choirs helping to put you in a trance, the tune with its haunting rhythm flowing endlessly and the keyboard adding a few touches of clarity 12. Empty for the second big title with the fleeting tune that reminds me of one of Alan Parsons, fast but focused; the latent prog intro that 'kills', the one that I loop 3 times before letting the title go further; Kristoffer signs the invasive piece with his voice, the air swirling; the crescendic rise 'finally' explodes the album which I found monotonous, too sinister, even if that was intended; the solo, the solos that emerge from Paul, Marcel and Patrick make me regret that there was not musical light of this kind earlier; in short, slap this last piece.(3.75)

I really enjoyed Kristoffer's last two solo albums, awarding 2021's 'Let Me Be a Ghost' maximum marks, and now he is back with his fifth solo release (he is still probably best known for playing with his brother Daniel on the first six Pain of Salvation albums). Apparently, the recording process for this release started at the same time as 2019's 'Homebound' and was planned to be a simultaneous release, but a certain pandemic got in the way which led to him working on what would become 'Let Me Be a Ghost' instead. Since then he has gone back to the sessions and has produced something which feels far more like a band in the symphonic progressive arena, heavily influenced by Pink Floyd with some wonderfully dated keyboards. He is a multi-instrumentalist so plays most of the core music himself, but has brought in three different drummers and three guitar soloists (I have no idea who plays on "He's Not Me" but he has nailed the Gilmour style to a tee, while the slide combined with the organ could be straight off 'Dark Side') plus some strings.

It is a concept album in many ways, but somewhat different to the norm in that his approach is more about songs on a theme, inviting listeners into various situations, environments, states of mind, and emotions?encouraging reflection and connection. In some ways this is a critical examination of humanity yet delivered in such a manner to really make the listener think. We are not being preached at but instead we are being taken on a journey and being invited to take the opportunity for some retrospection and thought as we drift through the layers being created. There are other classic influences on this album, especially Dire Straits, but there is no doubt that this is late Seventies Pink Floyd for the most part, and anyone who enjoys that style of music will get a great deal from this. It is interesting to see how Kristoffer keeps changing his approach and I can only wonder what the next album will bring, as this combined with the last two are definitely worthy of investigation by anyone who enjoys progressive rock.

Kristoffer Gildenlöw is known to us as the bassist of the Swedish prog-metal band Pain Of Salvation, in which he played from 1995 to 2005. In 2006, he moves to the Netherlands, to be precise, to Utrecht, which leads him to a illustrious career as a session musician. His impressive resume includes collaborations on beautiful albums with artists like Neal Morse, Kayak, and Nine Skies. A significant aspect of his passion is creating solo albums, a talent he has demonstrated four times before. On his new album, titled "Empty," a torrent of flavors once again envelops the listener, and there is truly no reason not to let oneself be buried under it.

Gildenlöw refers to himself as a symphonic singer-songwriter, and that hits the nail on the head. On "Empty," he pays tribute to the bands he loves, such as Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, and Mike Oldfield. All this musicality is packaged in twelve manageable songs that could have been written by Bob Dylan or Ray Lamontagne with progressive aspirations. "Empty" sets itself apart from his previous albums with fuller arrangements, including real strings, brass, and background vocalists. Additionally, four guitarists, besides Gildenlöw himself, contribute with their impressive solos, adding zest to the music.

"Empty" underwent a creative process spanning years. The first songs date back to 2019 when the album "Homebound" was recorded. Due in part to the COVID-19 crisis, "Empty" did not materialize, and only in 2022, after Gildenlöw added seven new compositions, did the work truly begin to take shape. With its release on February 8, 2024, the world can finally witness Gildenlöw's intentions.

"Empty" is a thematic album that explores the human soul in various situations. Translated into the music, you can expect a wide variety, and that's exactly what you get, at least? there are a few elements that contribute to a tremendous cohesion within the album. Good examples include Gildenlöw's melancholic voice, casting a Chris Rea/Mark Knopfler-like languor over the songs, the swirling tones of the electronic piano, the tasteful play on the (sometimes fretless) bass guitar, and the calm, clear play of the supporting guitar. Another significant binder is the presence of all those guitar solos, and there is a continuous subtlety that ensures a homogeneous listening experience.

Despite the album's diversity, it is purely due to the compositions. It starts off well with the short Time To Turn The Page, where a subtle piece is split in half by a gritty guitar solo. And in the following songs, your emotions are sent in all directions. Hear the strings beautifully in The End Of The Run, feel the Eddie Vedder-like atmosphere of Harbinger Of Sorrow, and brace yourself for the strong combination of slide guitar and electronic piano in the finale of He's Not Me. With "Empty," you're never satiated. Particularly beautiful is the background vocals of Erna Auf der Haar in the dreamy Black & White. Don't overlook the Fish On Friday-like art rock and keep that thought, you'll need it later. It's almost certain that Down We Go was written with the intention of serving as a closer. It certainly has that monumental quality with its ending.

Next, Gildenlöw takes a turn that sparkles a bit more. Songs like Turn It All Around, Beautiful Decay, and The Brittle Man have a cinematic character, making Means To An End and Saturated truly stand out. The Dire Straits homage in Means To An End is so cleverly crafted that you have to pinch yourself three times not to be mistaken. On the other hand, Saturated is a track that wouldn't be out of place on a later Pink Floyd album, with the understanding that Gildenlöw is anything but a copycat. Never claim the latter. The closing title track Empty underscores once again what a genius musician Kristoffer Gildenlöw is. Let's leave it at that.

Orginally posted on www.progenrock.com