- Kranglan Broadcast, the Swedish label founded by Harald Björk in 2009, is so-named because of two radio masts. When operating at night, the masts emit beams of light, which are visible across Kranglan, the town where Björk lives, and Nacka, the forested nature reserve it's part of. Listening to Estelle, the label's fifth release, the story isn't hard to believe. All three of its Krautrock-inspired tracks are possessed with a vibrant yet insubstantial quality, like signals flickering in the wintery Scandinavian darkness. "Domus" lays these illuminations on a craggy landscape of Roland samples, sounding how Emeralds might if they swapped out their guitars for drum machines. The track's spangled drones take the longest time to reach their far-off destinations, but the journey is grand.
"Ner" opts for more modern-sounding beats, and a wisp of female vocal. The latter is the cut's whirpool-like focal point, spinning delicate bells and decrepit strings at its periphery. Last comes the stepping "Under." It's also built around a whirling motif, this time a kooky synth whistle, rather than a vocal. Seemingly, it was also Björk's intention to see how far his machines could be pushed for this last effort. Screeching, wailing and braying, they lend an even more distinctly analogue vibe than before, as if those radio masts are being overloaded.
Tracklist A1 Domus
A2 Ner
B Under