Hannes – Summer 3000 EP

If you’ve never visited or read this site before, then you won’t be aware of my admiration for the Swedish duo Hannes. I admit to always being impressed and awed by an artist/band who isn’t/aren’t afraid to express their individuality and creativity. Remember, this is Scandinavia and individualism isn’t outwardly celebrated. The debut EP from Hannes – Summer 3000 is another of those listening opportunities I long for.

Hannes is best described as alternative-soul, distinctive and crafted with a fine balance of musical simplicity.  The melodies straddle pop, folk and soul with original lyrical constructs.

Lead singer Hannes Jonsson vocals caress the microphone, gentle, emotive and without strain. His voice is as smooth as cream. Any track proves an ideal demonstration, though I’d turn to – Similar and Fill Me Up for immediate, immersive listening. There’s almost a sense of travelling carefree, or at least a sense of motion while listening to these. The EP’s cover art is wonderfully apt.

Every Young Boy’s Song – conveys a beautiful sense of innocence, with a tender sweet vocal and lyrics of a child’s dream in adolescence. The production throughout is underplayed and never encroaches Hannes’s voice. Every instrument is unfiltered from the guitar chords, handclaps and sweet sax, which is sadly sparsely used. And why a five-track EP contains a 1min filler track is confusing to me?

While this EP didn’t exceed my expectations (the songs short run time was a factor), their sound, lyrics and compositions have a wonderfully engaging presence.

We have to walk before we can run and Hannes are just off the starting blocks. I expect them to start running soon.