For Beardfish from Sweden, stylistic barriers are there to be torn down. Their unique sound mixes elements from a variety of genres, from prog through independent to jazz rock, classical music and metal, from sixties, seventies and eighties influences to the most contemporary and trailblazing variations. Their latest album, Destined Solitaire, is a musical adventure trip of the unusual kind, always exciting, always haunting, and at the same time as colourful as it is detailed. To cut a long story short: Destined Solitaire is an opus which offers much to discover. “There’s a whole lot of different styles jammed into the 76 plus minutes on this disc, even some hip-hop-flavoured stuff and some growling,” vocalist and keyboardist Rikard Sjöblom enthuses, adding: “We sweated our way through rehearsals and recording this time around. We always do – but this time was special.”

There is a world away from the usual radio and MTV formats; a universe in which music effortlessly creates colourful images without excessive visual presentation, captivating its listeners with its haunting structures. And which, if you listen really carefully, allows the whole range of traditional rock music to pass by the audience’s ear. Beardfish from Sweden are a prime example of this phenomenon, an archetype of an exceptionally expressive prog rock act. Their current album, Sleeping In Traffic: Part Two, features quotes from almost all eras of music history, blending them into an unmistakable sound. Sleeping In Traffic: Part Two sounds enthralling and timeless and has depth and substance without overtaxing its listeners with overly intricate structures. And last but not least, a distinct sense of humour pervades Beardfish’s music in general and the eight songs on their current release in particular.

After two independently released albums, Swedish quartet Beardfish are proud to release their strongest effort yet ‘Sleeping in Traffic: Part One’ on InsideOut Music and open themselves up to a far broader audience. An audience which will no doubt be intrigued by the band’s retro sound. Beardfish have styled themselves after the big bands of the 70’s but they go far beyond their influences producing original and imaginative, progressive music with folk elements. There is no doubt that this band is breathing new life into the genre.