Emotive dream indie rock from the North of Sweden is how I saw Mi von Ahn depicted. This Swedish singer-songwriter has been described by Swedish newspaper Västerbottenskuriren as offering “… hints of Fleetwood Mac and perhaps even Amanda Bergman/Amason can be detected, but above all, Mi von Ahn remains unequivocally herself”. Mi has released two full-length albums and three EPs.
A new EP `Everything Is Until Its Not` is released this month and is a collection of four songs where sadness, loss and desperation are woven together. Songs about finding the anger as a strategy to move on, about gratitude, and about being able to let in the joy of memories in the midst of sadness.
We are led gently into this extended play with ‘out of my head’, which I read was inspired by nineties trip hop and shoegaze and it does have elements of both but also a deep sense of vulnerability as somebody tries to push back and be heard. It`s busy at times in an understated manner with percussive beats and Mia`s nigh on exposed vocal sharing what may be her inner thoughts in what may be a cathartic manner. There is a kind of spectral quality about `ghost` with an underlying rhythmic rolling beat and glistening chords that allows the vocals to shimmer atop. It may be a request to somebody to appear more fully in their life rather than as a shadow.
`how the wind` seems to evolve and grow as a seed blossoming into a flower. A track that appears to be about longing for somebody when they`re not around either temporarily or possibly permanently. The guitar chords conveyed almost mirror the sense of loss revealed in the softly almost whispered vocal delivery. This four track offering concludes with `day by day` which is fairly raw and ethereal with an irregular drum machine beat and possibly synthesised strings guiding a vocal that has an almost haunting quality. It may be about coping one day at a time and gathering strength as each day passes.
`everything is until it’s not` is a fairly ethereal submission with numbers that share a real openness and vulnerability that possibly exposes and expresses the inner thoughts and fears that are held deep within this artist. I read that Mi von Ahn wrote and started recording this EP in a tiny cabin on wheels in jämtland. a guitar, some jars and cutlery as instruments and although at times it appears minimal there is a much wider and grander sense of appeal about it.
Rating 8.5/10
