Defunct Summer

As André Brorsson releases two new Stars in Coma albums this fall (2017), he does so in an era when music is seldom experienced more than one or two tracks at a time. Playlists have given way to tracklists, and rarely is there time to take part of an artist’s holistic vision. With Escapist Partisans and Defunct Summer, however, Stars in Coma has managed to create an all-encompassing framework that is bigger than the sum of its parts. We are invited to join in on a tumultuous journey from the realms of introspection and stream of consciousness (Escapist Partisans), to a place of outward outrage at the prevailing societal climate (Defunct Summer). On Defunct Summer, there is a harsh reality to come to terms with, as André observes in "This Damn Reminder," a commentary on the border controls introduced over the Öresund Bridge between Sweden and Denmark. Unlike the dreamy haze of Escapist Partisans, resignation is no more. Confusion and anxiety are no longer the prevalent moods, but rather determination and the desire to act. A recharged fighting spirit and a newfound sense of hope blossoms, accompanied by acoustic guitars and the romantic rosiness of flutes, violins, and cellos. And, though the rosiness might not be anchored in reality, "the illusion of hope is good enough for now," André sings on the final track, "Libertate Unanimus." With these twin albums, Stars in Coma has achieved a musical journey from dark to light, from minor to major, where the twists are abrupt, the nuances plenty – and the end result magnificent! -Moonport Recordings