Kristoffer Gildenlöw - 2024 - Empty

(60:00; New Joke Productions)

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.

Kev Rowland, July 2024

Links:
https://www.kristoffergildenlow.com/