Taken by Trees is the solo project of Victoria Bergsman, the Swedish singer best known as the vocalist for The Concretes and for her recent appearance on Peter Bjorn and John’s “Young Folks.” Bergsman’s solo discography is steeped in location: her debut album, 2009’s East of Eden, was recorded in Pakistan, while Other Worlds was inspired by a trip to Hawaii and two instrumentals – the Beach Boys’ “Diamond Head” and Augustus Pablo’s beat inflected dub single, “AP Special.” Other Worlds is an immersive, expansive listen, filled with Bergsman’s subdued vocals, warm languid beats, looped synths, and quiet guitars that draw from Hawaii’s luxurious and lulling natural elements palm trees, shifting sands, sunsets, ocean undulations and an overall calming mood. Opening tracks “Horizon” and “Highest High” set the tone for the record with the sweet sound of a pedal steel along with the Caribbean inspired synths. Other standout tracks include “Dreams” which blends dub with plucking guitars and gently layered synths; the reggae and marimba dub inspired “I Want You”; and “Pacific Blue” which features steel drum that works perfectly with the jangly indie pop guitar. Though the sound remains fairly consistent throughout, Bergsman manages to keep things interesting by varying the manner of her delivery and refuses to box herself in, constantly soaking in new cultural influences. – Written by JFelton
SIMILAR | The Concretes, El Perro del Mar, Neil Halstead, Lord Huron, Angel Olsen, Wild Nothing