Tender; intimate; reflective; I could continue on searching for the most appropriate description for Christian Kjellvander’s latest solo album, Hold Your Love Still. As Christian says during our conversation, his previous solo outing, About Love And Loving Again was about a relationship breakup, getting his bearings straight in the aftermath of a lost love, whereas Hold Your Love Still sees the artist sing about constant evolving, talking of love yes, but perhaps love in a different form. Can love be something that doesn’t need to be feed, he ponders. For Christian, the love of the album title is a state of energy or a concentration of feelings, an ineffable quality which he sometimes feels is missing in modern society. The new album is rich in natural imagery, understated poetry and an infectious empathy, with meaning imbued in every line, this is the work of an accomplished songwriter at his most vital. Listen carefully to the cuts selected for this program and to Christian’s words. Here is an artist who, in some respects is reticent to speak about himself and his work. Although there is a poignancy to Christian’s music, there is also an optimism, a warmth he is keen to share with the listener. 

Selecting a piece of music to follow after Christian Kjellvander’s trademark minor melancholy with soaring major compositions meant listening a lot of possibly suitable music. I settled on the album, Origins from Cosmic Dust on the Merkaba Music label out of Australia. Written and composed by Damien Gallau, AKA, Cosmic Dust, Divine Connexion is in reference to the birth of Damien’s first child. This is a curious blend of Electronic, Ambient with a lean toward Dubstep and an Ethnic undercurrent. 

LEM Vol 342