Sol Sol - 2024 - Almost All Things Considered

(44:05; Sail Cabin Records)

Track list:   
1. Elena 11:20
2. If Not, Marbles 5:16
3. First Days of Spring 6:51
4. Almost All Things Considered 6:58
5. Can I Have the Bill, Please 8:53
6. Hello Again, Paul 4:47

Line-up:
Elin Forkelid - saxophones
David Stackenäs - guitars
Mauritz Agnas - bass
Anna Lund - drums


Swedish band Sol Sol appears to have been an active creative unit at least since 2018, with the four members releasing material at a fairly steady pace following on from their debut album "Unaccustomed Soil" which appeared back in 2019. "Almost All Things Considered" is the third studio production by Sol Sol, and was released through fledgling label Sail Cabin Records in the spring of 2024.

Instrumental jazz is the name of the game as far as overall style is concerned here, and I guess that fusion or possibly even jazzrock might be descriptions viable to the types of landscapes explored on this production. Probably and possibly with some references to be made in terms of improvised features, of which I suspect there are a few during the playtime of this production.

What I will not find to be appropriate for this album is to drag it directly into a progressive rock context however. While I do write for a progressive rock speciality website as well, this album isn't one that really fits into the scope of that music scene as far as I'm concerned. This most recent album by Sol Sol, while making use of some elements that arguably have more of a rock music origin, the total experience of the songs strikes me as being just about of a pure-bred jazz nature.

A steady going rhythm section, often with a strong groove element, serves as the main foundation for the majority of these instrumentals. The bass will be given a bit more of the limelight on occasion, with some clear lead spots given, but otherwise the rhythm section has a support role on this album.

The guitar and the saxophone are the stars of the show here, with both instruments in a dance of ebb and flow routine where the singular lead role is traded back and forth and the main and dominant lead role in the sections where both instruments have an active role is traded back and forth in a similar manner. More often than not in flowing and elegant motions, and in many cases with at least some of the passages coming across as being at least partially of an improvised nature.

We do get a couple of songs that breaks a little bit with the norm too of course. Here we have darker and more brooding arrangements where the lead instruments are more impact-oriented and seeking out and exploring patterns rather than a more flowing variety of elegance. On these occasions the soundscapes gains a grittier and dirtier character too, and while still very much jazz instrumentals there is a little bit more of a blues and rock spirit to the excursions that are of this particular kind.

If you tend to enjoy instrumental jazz where the guitar and the saxophone take turns in being the lead instrument and where the tradition explored is what I'd describe as a distinctly jazz-dominated variety of fusion, then Sol Sol is a band and "Almost All Things Considered" an album that probably merits a check. Especially if well known, highly regarded and well appreciated instrumentalists in such a venture is a matter of interest too.

Olav M. Björnsen, June 2024

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/solsolmusic
https://sailcabinrecords.com/