Autumn has, at last, fallen into the world, quietly dancing into the streets of my home like a leaf prematurely dislocated from its branch by unforgiving winds. The days are colder now, and the trees are lighting a firework of colors in anticipation of the coming season; a resplendent celebration of imminent decay, drenched in the golden hue of a sun that rises late and sets early. We stand now on the precipice, the thin line between life and death before a green, green rebirth can become the subject of our yearning. Through biting cold and howling winds we’ll bear the darkness to come. For now, though, the gold is ours to keep.
In short, it’s the preface to my favorite season.
Autumn and winter have long been my favorite times of the year, before I grew to appreciate the radiance of spring. There’s a whole list of reasons why, some alluded to in the opening statements of this review. One big point in favor of these colder, darker times, however, is that they make any music sound much sweeter, at least to my ears. If said music now happens to catch and amplify the vibes of these days of lustrous gold and growing darkness, its impact strengthens manifold. In my opinion, jazz has always been a quintessential autumn music, especially when presented in the way Svaneborg Kardyb do.
The Danish duo of Nikolaj Svaneborg and Jonas Kardyb have been gleefully rushing from strength to strength it seems, putting out one of the most acclaimed (Nordic) jazz records of 2022 with Over Tage and appearing on NPR’s prestigious Tiny Desk series, amongst other notable accomplishments. Their music is tailor-made for the reflective yearning induced by the changing seasons. Gondwana-style jazz relies heavily on mood and atmosphere, and Svaneborg Kardyb have been a major culminating point of that approach.
Their visual aesthetic only feeds into my aforementioned impressions: video recordings in cozy home environments, muted colors, and an air of playful exploration are baked into their specific brand. They even wear fall-appropriate attire in most of their visuals. As such, it’s quite easy to associate them, their sound, and their entire appeal with this specific time of the year. To me, this bond between time and music has only deepened my appreciation for their upcoming release Superkilen ever since the temperatures started to drop and the days began to become shorter.
Superkilen is marked by a distinct contrast between joyful unfolding and wistful recollection; it acts as a sort of halfway point between past and future, between memory and discovery. As such, it mirrors the times it falls into, not only seasonally but socio-politically as well. We long for the days of warmth as the bitter cold beckons us to join its embrace; we look for safety in remembrances of olden days as we try to muster hope for what’s to come. It’s poetic in ways intended and potentially unintended, as all great art is.
“Superkilen”, “Cycles”, and “Tvilinger” have been previously released as singles, three tracks well-chosen to represent the whole of Svaneborg Kardyb’s new body of work. Where the former two tracks open the record on a note that’s not all too dissimilar from previous Svaneborg Kardyb efforts, “Tvilinger” breaks up the formula somewhat by focussing mostly on the almost neoclassical piano part, as only subtle percussion is provided by small metal objects instead of a whole drum kit. It’s a resonant and affecting piece that’s among the many highlights of Superkilen.
Image credit: Dennis Morton
Meanwhile, breathy synths and flowing drums wash the listener into the embrace of “St. Pancras”, which has an almost otherworldly atmosphere to it. Elsewhere, the percussion-driven, beat-heavy “Vakler” and the twinkly “Balancen” inject some variety into the overall relaxed energy Svaneborg Kardyb channel throughout this album. There’s a balance of light and dark, weighty and effortless, morose and joyful to Superkilen, which makes the unified whole an engaging listen despite an overarching similarity in vibes.
Being on Gondwana has not only afforded Svaneborg Kardyb a certain prestige and corresponding opportunities; it also opened the door for fruitful collaboration. Portico Quartet bassist Milo Fitzpatrick appears on Superkilen to lend his recognisable low-end to two of the album’s tracks, and ideas were exchanged with Caoilfhionn Rose as well. This community spirit has raised them even beyond the stellar reaches of Over Tage, it seems, as their new set of tracks expands upon their boundless potential in subtle but powerful ways. The atmospheres are pronounced more boldly, applying the duo’s painterly approach more confidently than ever before.
Speaking of community spirit, remember when I said earlier that there’s a socio-political edge to Superkilen? I wasn’t grasping at straws there, as it turns out that Svaneborg Kardyb had their minds on a specific positive example of our current climate while writing and subsequently naming this record:
‘‘Superkilen’ means ‘super wedge’ in Danish, but it’s a very expressive word, with the connotation of a breakthrough, like taking a piece of wood and cracking it open. It’s like something that insists on being there, something from the outside that comes in, and it will just move forward and you can’t really do anything about it – we had to allow that on this record.’
In turn, this name was inspired by the Superkilen park project in Copenhagen, where a plot of deserted land found in the diverse Nørrebro district was transformed into a creative and serene space for locals and immigrants to come together in the name of tolerance and unity. This beautiful message bleeds into the music as well; it does offer some desperately needed hope in times of growing resignation.
Ending on the contrasting set of “Udsigten” (which is Danish for ‘View’; similar to the German ‘Aussicht’) and “Arendal”, Svaneborg Kardyb created a deft tonal dissonance to close out their second release for Gondwana Records. Whereas “Udsigten” is a decidedly positive and grounded affair, “Arendal” is much more ambiguous in its motives. Choir-like synths and droning noises invade the idyllic landscape of Superkilen’s overall jazz aesthetic, disrupting the harmony for an almost dramatic exit. It still fits well within the Svaneborg Kardyb vibe, but it might be a pointer towards future points of reference for the duo.
In terms of expectations being met, in terms of artistic intentions and human responsibilities, Superkilen is a massive success for Svaneborg Kardyb, a triumphant second step after their well-received opening statement. Thematically and aesthetically, this record couldn’t have come at a better point in time, as it fittingly reflects both the season we are heading into as well as the times we’re living in. It shows a clear evolution from Over Tage without sacrificing the charms Nikolaj Svaneborg and Jonas Kardyb have cultivated on previous releases. They’re still the same lovable duo, just with a few more colors on their shared palette. If you, like me, adored their work already going into Superkilen, let’s just say you’ll leave with an even greater appreciation for Svaneborg Kardyb.
Header image courtesy of Dennis Morton