Holding On to a Dream
Joel Wästberg was initially apprehensive about releasing his own music. The multi-instrumentalist (who goes by the stage name sir Was) played drums for Swedish singer José González before going out on his own. The success of his 2017 debut *Digging a Tunnel* emboldened him to push his sound further. If Wästberg has any lingering self-doubt, it isn’t apparent on his sophomore album, *Holding on to a Dream*. The Swedish artist polishes the lo-fi buzz of his debut with a renewed confidence. The album’s opener “Fly Away” is a reflection on past insecurities, carried by languid drum beats and mystifying synths. “Pin Me Down” is comparably affecting, a poignant monologue about rising above anxiety. Elsewhere, Wästberg recalls a past relationship while showcasing his sonic fluidity on the jazzy “No Giving Up.” He partners with fellow Swede Yukimi Nagano (of Little Dragon) on “Deployed,” an examination of emotional resilience.
sir Was’ new album "Holding on To a Dream” is a mesmerising twisting of genres - from classic soul and old-school hip-hop, to beautifully fresh pop structures. The new record is dense with ideas and adventurous, a sonic-leap forth. “I was interested in having a lusher sound, more rich,” Wästberg says. “With the first record I had this idea that I wanted it to sound like an old vinyl record. I wanted this lo-fi, old-school sound. When I realized that I was actually making another album, I felt a bit scared of the whole thing, but it didn’t take me that long to realise that the only thing I could do was to make something that felt really right in my body and soul. I’ve realised that there’s nothing to be afraid of. I’m ready to explore so much more.” The sense of exploration resonates throughout the album and can be defined by its start and end points. Opening track ‘Fly Away’ begins the expedition, a gleaming reflection of past insecurities as a jump-off point for the next chapter, all subtle beats and stark bursts of guitars that leap out of the mix. The record’s boldest moment is reserved for ‘Deployed’, a collaboration with Little Dragon’s Yukimi Nagano. Beautifully bright and sincere, ’Deployed’ is a perhaps the most vivid pop song that sir Was has released to-date. Elsewhere, ‘No Giving Up’ is a tender recollection of a past relationship, set to an equally affectionate composition, a glowing example of Wästberg’s growing songwriting skills, while ‘The Sun Will Shine’ showcases another side of Joel’s skillset, a playful production full of inspired ideas and nuances; a Les Fleurseque mellow breeze in the heat of the summer. A heartfelt accounting of relationships, of knowing when to let go and when to fight for them, ‘Holding On To A Dream’, is a dreamy, groovy, lustrous treat of a record.
Swedish songwriter/producer Joel Wästberg funneled the inspirations and reflections from his travels into his genre-bending music under the sir Was moniker.