Swedish progressive rock band Bakelit, is back with a new album, No Fear of Drowning, which will be released on the Swedish label: FOSFOR Creation, on September 26th, of this year. Bakelit was formed in 2023 as a collaboration between Carl Westholm and a group of musicians from a trusted network, built around previous acts such as Carptree, Jupiter Society, Candlemass, Avatarium, Krux, Abstrakt Algebra, Hollingshead and others – with collaborators and friends.
Bakelit is made up of members: Carl Westholm, on electric piano, organ, synthesizers, bass, theremin, vocoder, production, and background vocals; Öivin Tronstad, on lead and background vocals; Cia Backman, on lead and background vocals; Jonas Källsbäck, on drums; and Ulf Edelönn, on guitars.
Bakelit’s discography includes: Asleep or Insane, (2024) and No Fear of Drowning, (2025).
They have released their latest singles, “From the Underground” on the 5th of September and “Moment of Peace” on the 15th of September.
The songs for No Fear of Drowning, “evolved from sessions involving unpredictable electronic machinery, eventually developing into six tracks that straddle the line between progressive art rock and electronic music. Drummer Jonas Källsbäck, known from The Night Flight Orchestra, Gathering of Kings, and other acts, joins the line-up for this album. The band describes, No Fear of Drowning, as: “A dramatic album, with lyrics that explore the darker aspects of the human psyche, yet these are the very qualities that can make us stronger and more determined to do good.”
“From the Underground,” opens with those sounds you used to hear on old embedded base telephones, when they went haywire. Cool synth programming and spacey sounds, which fill the imagination. Then we hear Öivin Tronstad’s vocals first. He sings, “Save us. Crawl up from the underground. Please relieve us. Save our lives. Save our souls. Save us all. Buried and trapped with friends and relatives. In the underground. Both life and death is comfortable. But still, everyone´s waiting to once again come alive.” And immediately, I sense another singer who reminds me of Temporal Chaos Project’s, (TCP), famous lead singer Henry Tarnecky. That same, familiar early Peter Gabriel style vocal, that makes everything sound so much richer and better. But it gets even better than that. Just as Öivin continues singing, Cia Backman, the female lead singer in the band, enters the stage. And now their duet becomes the ‘things that music reviewers dream to hear, and be surprised by’! She has a Kate Bush vocal sound. Two great singers accompanied by Tony Banks/Vangelis level keyboard playing, programming, and guitars. Yes, I’m hooked. Over 7 minutes of bliss and we have just gotten started. The lyrics can take you in many directions. Are these voices actually coming from under the ground, like some sci-fi movie from the 1970s. Anyone remember Logan’s Run? Or are they the dead, wishing to arise? Either way, we are off on an interesting adventure.
How do you follow that monster? With an even deeper dive into the ether of Bakelit’s imagination! “Moment of Peace,” opens with cool spacey keyboards and soft electric guitar. Öivin sings, “Unexpected and sudden, everything turned quiet… The world stopped moving. The sun in a fixed position. Now it’s all gone. Why and where? Disturbance all around. Threats for from unknown places. Now all is gone. I used to be surrounded by thoughts, fear and expectations. Now I´m pleased, I´m happy for the first time. This is just a moment of peace, a short, brief, moment of peace. What did we tell you? Run and hide. Take shelter. Let no one find you.” Cia Backman, joins him to sing, “Stay away, run for your life.” The spacey keyboards that follow are absolutely brilliant. The lead electric guitar solo is a great change of pace. The duet sings, “Am I dead? Can there be peace and quiet in anything but death? The more I think about it. The clearer it becomes. Of course I´m dead! Nothing but dead! Of course I´m dead!” Spacey keyboards and people whispering, take us out…
“We Still Hate You,” opens with keyboards, and then, Öivin sings, “Today is not a good day. You need something to wake you up. In the morning. Certainty outweighs knowledge. Nothing’s changed. We still hate you.” A powerful song of rejection. Cia Backman’s voice rises in this Ayreon – like space dream. In fact, that is a great reference point. I haven’t heard something this brilliant since TCP or Ayreon’s adventures. At the end they do a kind of Pink Floyd, “Eclipse,” running statement; where everything ‘you” does makes them hate ‘you,’ more.
“Weak, Immature, Aggressive,” opens with Cia Backman’s spacey vocals filling the soundscape. She sings, “Everywhere it is crowded. There are sentient beings all around us. Misunderstood, unclear intentions. Words can turn from a friendly blessing, as a gift.” Surrounding the vocal performance, which now includes Öivin, you can hear wonderful, eerie keyboards and what reminds me of helicopter blades, winding their way around the soundscape. Just simply amazing programming and orchestration. One of the best albums of sound and electronic effects since Atomic Time’s Subsounds. A space, dreamscape that will surround and encapsulate you. Absolutely brilliant!
“No Fear of Drowning,” is the title song and it is also amazing. It opens with very cool electric guitar and a soundscape that I thought only Tony Banks or Vangelis could have created. Cia Backman sings, “I am skating on the biggest frozen ocean. No shore in sight. Lost without direction. The ice might bear, or not. I don’t care. No fear of drowning. I am swimming in the deepest, widest river. No beach close enough. No place to put my feet.” Öivin, joins in and a Beatles-like melody takes shape. He sings, “When I’m surrounded, I’m free. With no escape and no way home. I will rise. Deepest ocean, widest river.” You will not be able to move during this one, as you follow the lyrics and imagine yourself in that same river flow.
“Bombs in My Head,” is one of the best anti-war like songs I’ve heard this year. And yes, we do need one! Öivin and Cia sing together, “Bombs are falling in our heads. Sirens screaming without sound. No one dead, everyone’s wounded. Chaos all around, but everything’s in place.” A very eerie song of desperation. And with the emotional way these two vocalists are bringing this song to life, you can feel every gut-wrenching emotion.
Bakelit’s No Fear of Drowning, is a wonderful new album that brings with it a new story. Now, the story may be dark, and at times, very dark. However, none-the-less, it is a new story. And we really need new stories in progressive rock, right now. I hear so many comparisons, like I have mentioned within this review; however, this album is a breath of fresh air. Just like Atomic Time’s Subsounds. It is an album that I think every fan of progressive rock; and especially the Pink Floyd/space wing of prog, should make required listening. You will not drown to deeply in these lyrics; but the sounds will take you places you haven’t been…for years. For that reason alone, this journey is a must for 2025. Get Bakelit’s No Fear of Drowning, and give yourself time, space, and a place to rest, and put on your headphones and drift along the river of sound, with this album. And remember, don’t be afraid of drowning…it’s only music.
Album Track List:
- From the Underground – 7:49
- Moment of Peace – 5:15
- We Still Hate You – 6:23
- Weak, Immature, Aggressive – 7:20
- No Fear of Drowning – 6:01
- Bombs in My Head – 6:26
No Fear of Drowning was composed by: Carl Westholm with additional vocal melody by Öivin Tronstad on, “From the Underground.” The album was recorded, produced and mixed @ Studio FOSFOR by Carl Westholm. Except drums, which were recorded at Studio Groove Arbetaren. Mastering was done by: Hoffe Stannow, at Cosmos Mastering. Artwork: Pål Olofsson, Dakota.
Band Website and Social Media Links:
https://www.facebook.com/bakelitband
https://www.instagram.com/bakelitband
Label, FOSFOR Creation: fosfor@carptree.com
YouTube and Music Video Links: