Following the quiet drop of “I Promised You A Miracle” final month, the usually reticent Karlsson has been surprisingly lively on social media, updating followers on what he is been as much as recently and referencing a future the place bandmate Henrik Markstedt may be a part of him. Posting on the Air France fb web page, Karlsson commented: “I could not resist making music; it is an excessive amount of enjoyable. However I can’t placing an excessive amount of strain on myself, so I’ll solely launch songs sporadically and simply have enjoyable. 4 dangerous songs and a very good one at times? Hopefully, Henrik is becoming a member of me in a while. Have an exquisite late summer season and remember to hearken to the crickets; it is their time of 12 months”.
Air France’s contribution to the early 00s music scene was transient however vital. Signed to XL for a time, an extended participant from Karlsson and Markstedt by no means emerged however their short-lived profession noticed the pair integral to a sound – and very-loosely-knit scene – that overlapped with the late 00s weblog home and chillwave sound. The band introduced their cut up in 2012, saying the top via a post on their Tumblr. “We’ve in all probability produced 7 albums since [EP] No Method Down; a UK Storage report, a home report, an r ‘n’ b report… however we’ve by no means been in a position to end something, nothing was ever adequate. We’ve tried so onerous, and we really gave all of it we had. And now we now have determined to cease making an attempt, though it breaks our hearts. However for all the explanations talked about above, and for a thousand extra, we don’t remorse a factor.”
Air France’s historical past is fairly properly coated in our 2013 historical past of the band. “I don’t remorse our determination to interrupt up”, Karlsson instructed Greatest Match again then, “I strive, nonetheless troublesome it could be generally, to simply accept that life does change. However generally I get up and I really feel unhappy that we now not exist. For me, Air France was not solely a band, however extra of a context by which I felt that I could possibly be delicate and be okay with it. Looking back, I feel that we labored so onerous with part-time jobs and the music to get all of it collectively that our internal voices began to fade approach.”
Karlsson (pictured above in 2011) clarified the band’s finish on an Instagram publish final month: “We broke up simply once we have been beginning to grow to be common and proper after we had signed a contract with XL Recordings in London. That in all probability wasn’t the neatest transfer. However life isn’t about being good or calculated, for my part. Although it is likely to be a bonus generally I’ve heard.”
Their music has been lengthy out of print on bodily, with copies of their double EP assortment No Way Down/On Trade Winds going for over £150. Their parting shot “It Feels Good To Be Round You” nonetheless is not on streaming and their final recorded output collectively was through a Yumi Zouma cowl with their reminiscences of each other interwoven into the track.
Hey Stranger is, says Karlsson, “a reasonably unambitious venture” which took form final autumn when he launched “a small bed room track… about remembering issues” named “Hug Me Honey” which you’ll be able to hearken to on Soundcloud. Its follow-up “I Promised You A Miracle” made it to streaming companies and picks up the place Air France left off, with all of the hallmarks of hazy, nostalgia-fuelled summers by the ocean and reminiscences love-lost friendships. “For poetic, summer season surbubian souls,” Karlsson wrote on its launch.
Constructed round a raise from Smokey Robinson’s ”Ooh Child Child”, Karlsson explains “the pattern was initially meant to be extra outstanding [however[ elements of it have been minimize the final minutes within the combine. The voice saying ‘Love is a pleasure’ within the break belongs to the legendary radio host Rankin Miss P. Her radio present was wonderful (you’ll find them at Youtube). The recurring ”ooh voice” within the track is sung by Erykah Badu and the ”bye” pattern is from the film Earlier than Dawn. Harmful stuff, certainly.”
On the Hello Stranger instagram, Karlsson – now a highschool trainer – fills within the gaps of what he is been as much as within the final 15 years. “I would like to verify my college students study one thing,” he explains. “In any other case, there will probably be a whole bunch of younger folks on the market who don’t learn about The Rah Band, Yo La Tengo or Evelyn King. Apart from, I would like initiatives in my life the place all the things doesn’t must be good, the place all the things isn’t measured or in contrast. Simply construct on a sense from a groove, a horrible chat up traces, infinite summer season fields, easy goals. Managing a narrative, if you realize what I imply? That’s why I’ll in all probability launch half-finished songs, sketches, fragments, songs with solely drums. 4 dangerous songs, possibly from time to time. Who is aware of? All the things is open and free.”
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