Sofia Talvik – Americana / Folk with Swedish Roots
Unmistakably Nordic in flavor, Sofia Talvik somehow still conforms to American interpretations of her own original music, a North Sea siren blending sparkle and melancholy, creating a special niche of folk music.
“Diane, I have important news! There is a special Twin Peaks sale going on.”
So Twin Peaks is returning after 25 years. This calls for a celebration so I decided to give all of you Twin Peaks fans out there 20% off my Twin Peaks inspired albums “The Owls Are Not What They Seem” and “There’s a Man In a Smiling Bag“. Just put in twinpeaks in one word at check out. The discount is valid until November 1st, so head over to my shop and pick up the albums before you order that cherry pie.
“…Not dread but a connection with our past is what we feel, a thread running back to the artless creatures we once were when we first heard the oboe-like notes from the Great Horned Owl. In Paleolithic times, we suspected omens in its voice, heard in it questions we were unable to articulate, but which have stayed within us, incomplete and taunting. We are certain that ancient, taloned bird sees what we do not, knows what we never will. And some night, silent as a gliding feather, its immensity will engulf us at fireside to tell us things we want to know as well as those we don’t. In the shadowed forest we’re pulled by that lurking and alluring ghost and we are enthralled.” Welcome to Twin Peaks: Access Guide to the Town
2011 was a busy year for me. I worked hard to get an artist visa to the US, preparing for a tour that might go on for as long as two years. At the same time I wrote and recorded a new album. Now that I’ve landed in my tour in the US it’s also time for my new album to land. “The Owls Are Not What They Seem” is a collection of 12 new songs. My musical journey started out in 2004 when I recorded Blue Moon and me and my musicians all gathered in a basement studio in Stockholm recording acoustically and almost all the instruments at the same time. After that I tried a more common way of recording in layers, adding instruments upon instruments. For my third album I hired a producer, Tobias Fröberg and for my fourth album Florida i experimented with a bigger soundscape with more drums than I had ever used before.
For “The Owls Are Not What They Seem” I went back to basics. After having done an acoustic solo tour for my album Florida Acoustic in 2010 I felt I was in my best element when I was playing and singing at the same time without the restrains of headphones and click-tracks. So I decided to make an ablum that was the essence of that me. Just something I could record in my bedroom without the pressure of a big production, time and opinions from others. All the songs on “The Owls Are Not What They Seem” are recorded that way. Me – playing and singing at the same time, then sparsely adding other instruments to enhance and highlight where I thought it was needed. My goal was to keep it down and make an acoustic album with a live, organic feel to it. I had no interest in changing the world or inventing something new. I just wanted to make a beautiful acoustic album. And here it is: “The Owls Are Not What They Seem”
You can now pre-order the album here. You’ll get a free track straight away. Physical signed albums will only be available through my website until the release. I also have two special guests on the album; Martin Hederos is playing the piano on “Nothing quite so gentle” and Pontus Borg has lent his voice to “7 miles wide”. Please hit the share button to tell all your friends.
Having only two videos left to release, its sort of starting to feel a bit sad it’s coming to an end. But how can one be sad when one hears the exquisite voice of Frida Öhrn from the band Oh Laura?
Oh Laura gained their fame when having one of their wonderful songs “Release me” in a Saab commercial and it’s hard not to be taken by Frida, so naturally I asked her to be a part of my live videos.
Sofia Talvik / Frida Öhrn – Jonestown
Song: Jonestown (Jonestown 2008)
Guest artist: Frida Öhrn (singer in the band Oh Laura)
http://www.myspace.com/laurasweden
About Oh Laura and Frida Öhrn:
Oh Laura, formerly known as Laura, is a Swedish indie pop group from Stockholm. The band’s name comes from one of the heroines of the television series Twin Peaks, Laura Palmer. The group came into existence as a project of 2 friends from school, Jocke and Jorgen. They were both born and raised in Sweden, they’re both very talented musicians and composers. Jocke mainly composes music, Jorgen writes most of the lyrics. They met Frida when Jocke was on the concert with his sister. Frida’s voice made on him such an unusual impression that he immediately proposed her a cooperation. Not much later Frida called her 2 friends, a bassist, Rikard and a drummer, Magnus and that’s how Oh Laura was born! Oh Laura is also known from having one of their wonderful songs “Release me” in a Saab commercial.