Alba James is a Stockholm, Sweden-based singer songwriter who has just released her self-produced debut EP. Inspired by the existential dread that hits most of us in our twenties, as well as the climate shock of moving from the South of France to the cold Swedish winters, it’s a deeply personal collection. It’s called Bedroom Walls.
By Graeme Smith
Feature photo by Alba James
The EP opens with the short intro of Pass, which begins the story in a warm winter at Alba’s mother’s house. Alba’s beautifully expressive vocals are accompanied by gently strummed ukulele and touches of vocal harmonies that set the scene perfectly.
Walls comes next, another exercise of minimalism, the emphasis is on the vocals and the lyrics in the first verse. It suddenly explodes into life after the first minute, with glorious orchestration and a dreamy feeling in which you can easily get lost. It was at this point I realised I was in for something special with this EP.
Sllaw is another short vignette. As suggested by its title, it’s something of a reversal of the mood created by the previous track. Rich with experimentation and a discombobulating feel, it suggests an unravelling of mental state.
Lighter Than Snow is a slower, more downbeat number, reflecting weather-driven malaise. Intimate, it invites you to feel everything that Alba felt while writing it, and the everyday becomes elevated into something spiritual in its lyrics. It’s a definite highlight.
That Special Place is the EP’s final short reflection. The vocal delivery becomes spoken word, in the form of a conversation that plays out against a backdrop of keys and strings. It’s impressively cinematic for its one-minute runtime and shows just how much Alba’s able to get out of so little.
The EP closes with Tired. The strummed ukulele is the anchor on which the etherealness of the track is held. Layered vocals create a sense of otherworldliness while the lyrics remain earthly. By the end, I found myself craving more – always a good sign.
Bedroom Walls is a beautiful introduction to Alba’s music and her world. She’s found the right balance between the personal and experimental in it and the overall impression you’re left with is a longing to get to know her and her work better. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for future releases from her.
You can listen to the whole of Bedroom Walls below.
