Paris in the spring - beyond the sea

Paris In The Spring

Beyond The Sea
self-released; 2013

3.9 out of 5

By Sean Dennison

Jimmy Olofsson, aka Paris in the Spring, of Gothenburg, Sweden, makes pleasant tropical ambience that should be on the mix list of every cruise ship. He is also my unofficial soul mate because like me, he got so fed up with not being able to play instruments he decided to use software to digitally create music. The only difference is he's actually doing it, I'm just writing about him doing it. 

Since Olofsson created everything in his bedroom, this album, Beyond the Sea, technically qualifies as bedroom pop. He hits all the right spots in creating an oceanic atmosphere, from layered, barely oscillating synth lines to sharp drum patterns breaking through keyboard hooks. "Sunset Paradise" is one of the most impressive tracks I've heard from a musician who strictly creates his music through electronics; Olofsson proves he has an ear for rhythm and structure with warbled noises, samples of running water and sudden cuts to drawn-out beats. And of course it ends with a twilight drone under birds chirping. It's a beautiful track that bestows upon the listener a sense of belonging to a collective warmth.

I mean the whole album just sounds…warm. It's a fantastic companion piece to working those lonely midnight hours after having two days of no sleep. The forlorn horn samples on the opener "Last Morning of July" beckon to me in a way organic music doesn't. Like many albums we review, the beauty of Beyond the Sea lie in the way a newer artist explores the musical world he creates. The eponymous track uses AOR-style guitar hooks over super light percussion while an electronic ocean quietly ebbs and flows in the background. A sense of peace and tranquility prevail throughout its nine minutes and though the track doesn't "go" anywhere in particular, it still brought me to some lovely locales.

Keep in mind Olofsson has been making music for like four months only. To create tracks like "Sunset Paradise" and the Brasilia-styled "Campfire Stories" is, to say the least, impressive.

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