Kleerup: Kleerup
Kleerup: Kleerup
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Friday, 15, May 2009 04:32
Positiva Records, out May 18th.
In a nutshell...
A solid attempt to step into the limelight.
What's it all about?
Andreas Kleerup (just Kleerup to you and I) has a stab at an album of his own, dragging in an array of vocalists including Lykke Li, Robyn, and Titiyo.
Who's it by?
Kleerup is apparently something of big star in his native Sweden, taking home an armload of awards at the recent Grammis music awards. Best known in England for his work with Robyn, this is his debut album.
As an example...
"Thank you for nothing"
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
With writing partner Robyn having already attended the Grammys, there's a high chance that Mr Kleerup has already snuck in to have a sniff around the free booze.
What the others say
"An accomplished, cohesive debut." - Pitchfork
"The antithesis of the fractured, crepuscular sound prevalent in much of contemporary dance music." - Observer
So is it any good?
Thanks to his work with Robyn, even the casual radio listener should be aware of the work of Kleerup, yet are totally unaware that they do. With his debut album, Kleerup clearly attempts to step out of the shadows and firmly into the limelight, to establish himself as more than just a behind the scenes hit maker.
A sort of Swedish Timbaland, Kleerup chooses to concentrate largely on instrumentals, offering up the odd guest vocal slot to worthwhile (and female) chums of his. We see Lykke Li provide a sullen strop of a vocal to Until We Bleed with adequate results, and Marit Bergman offer her pleasing tones to 3AM. Most notable however is that provided by the relatively unknown Titiyo on Longing For Lullabies, who manages to create an ideal pop vocal over gliding beats so inoffensive but likeable they might make a visit to Topshop tolerable.
Where Kleerup does slightly fall down is, inevitably, in the contrast between the tracks featuring vocals and those without. Whilst album opener Hero provides strings prominently enough to grab the listeners attention, and Tower of Trellick throws in enough hooks to engage with, tracks such as I Just Want To Make That Sad Boy Smile and Iris fall victim of a lack of substance, largely due to their proximity to those featuring voices. It's a minor gripe, and perhaps a churlish one when considering how much better Kleerup is than the slew of tatty electro nonsense currently being vomited out of the United Kingdom, but one which gives the nagging feeling that Andreas Kleerup works best with others.
Despite this, Kleerup remains an immensely easy and engaging listen, and one that seems fully capable of resisting any changes in the wind direction of perceptions of 'fashionable music', that seem to destroy so many electronic albums. For this alone, Andreas Kleerup should consider himself firmly out of the shadows, and (hopefully) in the public consciousness.
7/10
Tom Williams