Civlistjävel! - Älvgång - Six Of Swords
Civilistjävel!—a truly outstanding artist of Sweden’s electronic music underground—returns to Bristol’s Six Of Swords label. As always, he seamlessly bridges ambient, experimental, and dub, but this time he is joined by a select group of guest artists, including Carrier, guest, and Soccer Committee.
Since 2005, Uppsala-based Tomas Bodén has been releasing experimental electronic music, both under his own name and across various collaborative projects. Since launching Civilistjävel! in 2018, however, he has focused exclusively on this moniker—a dedication that reflects a producer who has firmly found his signature sound. Following a string of self-released, vinyl-only LPs, international acclaim followed. Labels across the UK embraced his work, leading to releases on YYAA, Fergus Clarke’s FELT, and Bristol’s Six Of Swords, where he now makes his welcome return.
Bodén opens his latest masterpiece with Strinne Ett, a raw, lamenting modular jam driven by saw-tooth textures. Strinne Tvaa follows with dark, stripped-back percussive minimalism layered over a persistent, eerie pad—a standout track for fans of Carrier.
The first feature arrives on Strinne Tre, featuring Dutch artist Soccer Committee (aka Mariska Baars). Heavily dub-infused ambient elements, harsh synth accents, and soft vocals and keys contrast to create a truly captivating atmosphere. The collaborations continue immediately on Strinne Fyra, a breathtaking big room meditation featuring Carrier—a forward-thinking key figure in contemporary electronic music. Carrier enthusiasts will spot his mark instantly, thanks to the pulsating halftime kicks and intricate layers of delayed percussion.
The B-side kicks off with Bjaertraa Ett, a haunting ambient piece built around a repetitive key pattern that dissolves into a beautifully melancholic motif in its second half. On Bjaertraa Tvaa, organic drum patterns meet occasional modular bleeps and bloops, wrapped in warm, stretched synth pads. Bjaertraa Tre delivers an intensely melancholic, almost aching ambient jam, where organ-like synth layers continuously swell toward an epic, weightless finale—shorn of the murky dub undercurrents found elsewhere.
Joined by Bristol-based vocalist guest (part of Jabu), the album closes with Bjaertraa Fyra. It is another monumental piece, defined by droning, horn-like synths, guest’s mournful vocals, and earth-shattering kick drums.
Is there a link between the long absence of Swedish sunlight and his dark, light-craving soundscapes? We can only speculate. But one thing is certain: it is truly one of a kind.
