Johan Agebjörn releases a new solo album, Notes; a dreamy, melancholic and mostly instrumental collection of songs. The music is quite different to the music he has produced earlier, both with Sally Shapiro and alone.

– After this album, it hits me how much my previous output has had its roots in electronic music styles from the 80s and 90s. I don’t see this album fitting in there so much. I don’t know what to call it. There’s a lot of electric pianos in there, that’s all I can say about the style.

The starting point for the album was the electric piano sound of the Casio MT-52, a cheap keyboard from the early 80s that was mostly used on an amateur level. It’s used (together with other sounds) on almost every track on the album.

– I was making a remix (for Jam & Spoon) and I needed a cheap electric piano sound. I settled for the the piano sound of the Casio, and then I fell in love with it. It inspired me to start working in a different style, mostly without the kind of drum, bass and pad sounds I normally use. For some reason it turned out to be the perfect sound to express feelings I had inside me that I wanted to turn into music. There’s some kind of unintended sadness, simplicity and authenticity in that sound.

– Most of the tracks are without drums. Lately I’ve felt that drums are mostly in the way, taking attention from details of the harmonies in the music, especially when there are a lot of notes (e.g. in arpeggios). Often I’ve had long drumless intros on my productions, for that reason, and since this is not at all intended to be dance music, I (in most cases) decided to let the harmonies stand for themselves. It sounds more naked and clear, though on some tracks I used some drums to obtain some more energy and motion.

The album includes collaborations with Sally Shapiro, Loney Dear and Young Galaxy (as well as a remix for Brain Machine that fits to the album’s style).

– Some songs sounded like instrumental versions of pop songs, so I decided to have vocals on them. It was of course natural to ask Sally on two tracks. Loney Dear and Young Galaxy are both making dreamy music with great expression, so I thought they would both be exciting collaborators on this album, and I’m honored they wanted to sing on my productions.

BIO: Johan Agebjörn is most known as the songwriter and producer of Sally Shapiro, who got their breakthrough with Disco Romance (Paper Bag 2007), a nostalgic trip back to romantic italo disco of 1984. Johan creates atmospheric electronic music with a melancholic touch, and has as a solo musician released two ambient albums on Lotuspike and one poppy nu-disco album on Paper Bag (Casablanca Nights 2011). The new album Notes marks a new musical direction, taking its starting point in the electric piano sound of the Casio MT-52, a cheap keyboard from the early 80s.

Johan Agebjörn lives in Lund in Southern Sweden, studies psychology, and is a proud father of two children. He seldom leaves his home town, but via the internet he collaborates with musicians such as Young Galaxy, Loney Dear, CFCF, Steve Moore, Tensnake, Fred Ventura, Legowelt and Lake Heartbeat. He has made official remixes for Lindstrøm, Glass Candy, Annie, Little Boots, Jam & Spoon, Wolfram & Holy Ghost! among others – though the most played remix is probably his unofficial take of the music to 80s Nintendo game Mega Man II.

”Listening to most of Johan’s music you feel a sense of equality, respect and longing.” URB Magazine

”His production remains exquisitely lush and luxuriant.” Pitchfork