they owe us are back, following up their debut “Broken English and Sad Serenades” with the album “Kram” – a warm yet fuming, calm yet untamed, gritty yet pure but most av all, an unruly rollercoaster of a ride. Safety belt not included.

After touring in Europe and USA, it was time to cut the second album. At this point, they owe us naturally reformed, with Kristoffer Ragnstam – known for decades for his DIY-attitude and gritty productions – taking on the producer and composer role and Anders Rane as main co-writer and musician. Along with Rane, well-known names such as Timo Räisänen, Andé Laos, Markus Hasselblom, Per Eklund and Klabbe Hörngren (Klabbes Bank) joined the gang of co-writers, and skilled musicians such as IZHAV, Adam Bolméus (Hästpojken) Axel Sjöberg (Graveyard), Jennifer Israelsson (Hot Breath), Viktor Turegård (Franska Trion), and Joel Lundberg have contributed in their own way to they owe us unique soundscape.

Musically, ”Kram” is a weave of raw drums, cheeky keyboards and sounds borrowed from the record store basement, mainly found in the ”do what the hell you want”-section. Lyrically, ”Kram” is far from the ordinary too. Yet again, Ragnstam shows off his wordsmith skills, with an eagle eye for details and ways of constructing new words and spot-on sentences with heart, humour and honesty.

”Dreams, hearts and instruments that broke from careless use, but miraculously got glued back together again – maybe with a few missing or misplaced pieces. That’s what gives me rush and inspiration”

In self-titled “The Owe Us”, in between scratching, flutes and distorted drums, the lyrics ”I’ll do the action, I’ll do the moves. You do your thing, by standing still” are being chanted out with such intensity and vibe you’ll be looking for spit stains on your shirt.

”Such a strong opinion” is a cogwheel of a 60 ś cembalo, a 12-string guitar and refined sentences like ”The irony of working at a candy store while dating a dentist. Like being raised by burning bottles, but I thought it was tennis”. “Come Closer” is a stripped back piano/guitar love note worth the name. When Ragnstam defeatedly belts out “All I want are the right words to tell you, you’re perfect like it is. But I’m stumbling without a clue, how to please a

person like you” – it comes with all the feels guaranteed.

On “The Phantom, The Ghost, The Gap”, Ragnstam got his favourite drummer Axel Sjöberg (Graveyard) to play a manic tom tom beat to accompany world class rhymes such as ”It’s a creative spin. But I got seasick carrying a canoe. From 10th street to your friend’s. The mute with a haircut straight out of Ivanhoe”.

In the pure ”Maybe I Was Born To Break Your Heart” the lyrics ”You used to be more rock and roll. Still it’s all heart and soul. Guess rock and roll got used to you” softly follow the Wurlitzer tremolo. Then it hits you where it hurts the most.

“Kram” is mainly cut live, analog and comes with a few blue notes and some questionable time issues. Just as music should be to earn the Kristoffer Ragnstam stamp of approval. It gives a great insight into his DIY-world – completely free from square perfection and ordinary rules.

”Kram” will be released on the N.Y.C based boutique company: earthprogram/Klang-Skivan. It’s out on vinyl and all digital platforms on September 10th.