AKB – Marianergraven

The musical origins of this album comes from an avid fascination with the ocean and its secrets.The idea of how the pressure and darkness of the depths may sound and the unknown mystery attached to the Pacific abyss of the Marianas trench evokes both a calmness and a breathtaking feeling of bottomlessly sinking into the darkness way down deep. ‘Marianergraven’ is AKB’s own take on the ambient genre, with melodies moving slowly, forming a menacingly areal atmosphere, where the soaring laments are able to float freely across the sonic panorama. She utilizes the electronic tonalities from syntheses, loops and effects to create a slowly growing and floating ambient structure, which is both melodic and dissonant combined. 
Behind the name AKB resides instrumentalist Anna-Karin Berglund from Gävle, Sweden. The first release under her own name came in April 2016 on the EP Söndagsbarn (via Lamour Records), on which the four tracks carries clear influences from the 70-80’s ambient with its space-fragrant, cosmic soundscapes. In 2017 AKB was awarded ‘Best Solo Act’ of the year at the Local Heroes Gala in Gävle, Sweden.

     

Buy vinyl via Bengans
Buy vinyl via Lamour Record Store

REVIEWS and ARTICLES

Dereck Higgins

Ambientblog.net
“Simply try to imagine “how the pressure and darkness of the depths may sound and evoke both a calmness and a breathtaking feeling of bottomlessly sinking into the darkness way down deep”, and you may have an idea what AKB‘s music sounds like. Contrary to what you may expect, there are no (recognizable) field recordings here: the music is created “utilizing the electronic tonalities from syntheses, loops and effects.””
Read full post at: https://www.ambientblog.net/2020-03/elbejee-skog-irmert-akb/

P2 Elektroniskt
“I sin studio i Gävle har AKB arbetat länge på sitt första album. På det djupdyker hon till Marianergraven – som också är namnet på denna ambienta skiva. Anna-Karin Berglund berättar att hon velat skapa en stämning som kanske finns där nere, i havsdjupet.”
Listen to full post: https://sverigesradio.se/avsnitt/1485480

Dark Entries
“Synthesizerambient uit het Zweedse Gävle. AKB is de afkorting van Anna-Karin Berglund, een one man act dus, of beter een one woman act. De eerste release onder haar eigen naam kwam uit in april 2016 als de EP “Söndagsbarn” (via Lamour Records), met daarop vier tracks duidelijk beïnvloed door de kosmische soundscapes van de seventies. Op haar debuutalbum “Marianergraven” (ook op Lamour Records) is dat niet anders. De kosmische soundscapes zijn behoorlijk donker zodanig dat ook menig dark ambient liefhebber dit volgens mij zal kunnen waarderen want bij momenten doet mij dit eerder denken aan pakweg Lustmord dan aan Tangerine Dream (nog altijd dé referentie voor kosmische muziek). “Marianergraven” bevat 8 tracks en duurt 53 minuten, inclusief de 5 minuten stilte voor de 3 minuten durende mystery track, waarop we voor het eerst eerder toetsaanslagen horen dan langgerekte tonen.”
Read full post at: http://www.darkentries.be/nl/recensies/akb-marianergraven/

Yes/No
“‘Saktmodet’ is an illustration of hot and cold: sharp, icy sounds ping out, and there’s the accidental rustling and whispering of breath, all cushioned by rich, warm sounds of the clarinet and the fading, post-percussive glow of piano chords. ”
Read full post at: http://www.yesnomusic.co.uk/2020/10/akb-saktmodet.html

Nieuwe Noten
“Het is kortom muziek waarin vrij weinig gebeurt, net als op die plaatsen die AKB hier verklankt. Het gaat haar duidelijk veel meer om het overdragen van de sfeer zoals zij zich die voorstelt. Die lijkt mij redelijk goed getroffen, al ben ook ik vanzelfsprekend net als zij nooit op deze dieptes geweest. Het is in ieder geval muziek die rust uitstraalt, ondanks de duistere sfeer.”
Read full post at: http://www.nieuwenoten.nl/?p=9398

Maschietto editore
“Marianergraven coglie appieno queste atmosfere insolite e le traduce in suoni nel modo più realistico: sembra di esserci. Seggestiva e indovinata anche la copertina, realizzata da Hanna Berglund.”
Read full post at: https://maschiettoeditore.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Cultura-Commestibile-358.pdf

Radio Nacional de España – RNE 3 Atmosfera
“AKB es el alias de la instrumentista sueca Anna-Karin Berglund. Su primer lanzamiento bajo su propio nombre se publicó en abril de 2016 con el EP Söndagsbarn, cuatro pistas con claras influencias del ambient de los 70-80 con sus paisajes sonoros cósmicos y espaciales. Los orígenes musicales de este “Marianergraven” provienen de una ávida fascinación por el océano y sus secretos. La idea de cómo puede sonar la presión y la oscuridad de las profundidades y el misterio desconocido que acompaña al abismo del Pacífico de la fosa de las Marianas evoca tanto una calma como una sensación impresionante de hundirse sin fondo en la oscuridad. Marianergraven es la versión personal de AKB del género ambient, con melodías que se mueven lentamente formando una atmósfera amenazadora.”
www.rtve.es/radio/radio3

Ear Tapas
About Saktmodet: “From the first chord I was taken aback. This ambient piece from AKB is a trip. The dreamy progressions and spacious melodies make this a perfect soundtrack to anything introspective.”
Read full post at: https://eartapas.tumblr.com/post/621233067987746816/from-the-first-chord-i-was-taken-aback-this

The sound Project
“AKB discloses that this record was the result of her coming to grips with some personal struggles – she calls it a “showdown with the stormy clouds” – and this music is likely to be her way of healing the hurt of the past.”
Read full post at:www.thesoundprojector.com/2020/07/24/travel-to-the-sea/

Kathodik
Fiato mozzo e parole, s’ingarbugliano e poi svaniscono in un sospiro (Eno, un tot di cosmici corrieri e Biosphere tutto in vaporizzazione spinta).
La svedese Anna-Karin Berglund (un EP nel 2016 sempre su Lamour), produce distese d’incanto (in questo caso, pressoché perfette).
Read full post at: http://www.kathodik.it/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=7623

Kulturní Magazín
“Temnota mariánského příkopu v autorce vyvolává na jednu stranu klid povětšinou statického prostředí, na druhou stranu AKB do kompozic zapracovává pohnutky návštěvníka, pocit bezedného klesání do temnoty nebo reakci tělesné schránky na extrémní prostředí, kterému je zde křehké lidské tělo vystaveno.”
Read full post at: https://www.magazinuni.cz/hudba/akb-marianergraven/

Nitestylez.de
“AKB caters a highly recommended longplay piece which could be a candidate to be included amongst the essential ChillOut albums of the year so far and even comes with a surprise hidden track feature after a few minutes of silence in the concluding “Soluppgängen”. Check.”
Read full post at:http://www.nitestylez.de/2020/04/akb-marianergraven-lamour-records-093.html

ADSR Collective
“With a potent and primal power at its heart, the music of AKB unfurls to light up forgotten places. Night walks, silent rooms and times of melancholy fit well with the echoing synth that Anna-Karin Berglund creates. A resident of Gävle, Sweden, Berglund works with sounds and samples mainly from an ambient perspective, looking to guide ponderous, heavy melodies into darkened territory.”
Read full post at: https://www.adsrcollective.com/latest-news-blog/2020/3/8/ocean-depths-through-swedish-ambience-akb-skymningszonen

Vital Weekly
“She plays ambient music with the big A and she goes down the Mariana trench, the deepest of all in the Pacific sea to find inspiration for the eight pieces of music here. It is music in the best tradition of Brian Eno, his children and his grandchildren.”
Read full post at: http://www.vitalweekly.net/1221.html

Musik An Sich
“So driftet man tatsächlich sehr angenehm durch die Klangwelten und bekommt bei geschlossenen Augen das Bild vom immer tieferen Abtauchen ins Meer vor die Augen.
Somit hat sie zum Einem Ihre Inspiration wirklich sehr treffend umgesetzt und gleichzeitig noch ein zwischen zarten Klängen und monumentalen Soundwänden wechselndes Stück Musik geschaffen.”
Read full post at: https://www.musikansich.de/review.php?id=21023

Pretty in noise
Shared Skymningszoonen
Read full post at: https://www.prettyinnoise.de/pinteressant-20-08-entdecke-neue-musik-aus-aller-welt.html/2

Last Day Deaf
Shared and playlisted Skymningszonen
“Ambient Syndrome is all about atmosphere & mood. Reading about the term of ambient music we find: “...a genre of instrumental music that focuses on sound patterns more than melodic form and is used to create a certain atmosphere or state of mind….” Are you ready for the trip?”
Read more: http://lastdaydeaf.com/ambient-syndrome-%e2%96%ba20/

Beatradar
“First up there’s AKB from Sweden, and this piece is – on the surface – what we could call “classic” ambient. But underneath, back there in the background, there’s stuff going on that really makes all the difference, and pulls this track up from the vast sea of abstract ambient pieces.”
Read full post at: https://www.beatradar.com/2020/03/a-circle-of-ambience/

Nordische-musik.de
“AKB fügt dem Genre keine revolutionäre neue Idee hinzu, ergänzt es aber mit einer eigenen künstlerischen Stimme, die sich keineswegs hinter den Großen der Ambient-Geschichte verstecken muss. Klasse Cover-Artwork zudem. “
Read full post at: https://nordische-musik.de/5699-AKB.html

Musicmap.it
“Ana-Karin Berglund torna con un altro lavoro scorrevole e convincente, inserendosi autorevolmente fra le più interessanti novità nella scena ambient.”
Read full post at: http://www.musicmap.it/recdischi/ordinaperr.asp?id=7503

Amusio.com
Das klangliche Panorama verdrängt das Klischee. Und dennoch sei darauf hingewiesen, dass sich dieses Album auch hervorragend dazu eignet, um vom vorgegebenen Thema abzuweichen, zu dissoziieren. Betulich anregend, drastisch ruhig. Ins Unvoreingenommene lockend. Gleitend. Sinkend. Frei flottierend.”
Read full post: https://www.amusio.com/20944/drastisch-ruhig/

Spex.de
“Anna-Karin Berglund nennt sich kompakt AKB und auch sonst interessiert sich die Schwedin dafür, wie trotz maximaler Kompression noch ein Minimum von Bedeutung übertragbar bleibt. Ihr neues Album Marianergraven scrollt sich entlang dichter Ambient-Sounds bis zum Ende der Deep Sea herunter. Obwohl die Dringlichkeit der abstrakten Klänge im Minutentakt zunimmt, lässt das vor allem wohlige Gefühle zurück. Ein kompakter Klangtauchgang also, der vielleicht gar nicht viel bedeuten muss.”
Read full post at: https://spex.de/musik-von-morgen-akb-dj-marcelle-another-nice-mess-gang-of-four-gig-masin-real-estate/

Chain.dk
“Anna-Karin Berglund’s “Marianergraven” album is a collection of soft ambient sonic vignettes that are apparently inspired by the ocean. And while waves are certainly involved, the overall feel of this album feels more like an invocation of space, expressed in sci-fi terms. Long melodic synthetic pad sounds ebb and fall over low warm bass hums, while occasional details and textures flit by- often crisp, gentle wind-like effects. Tonal changes are gentle, without always being predictable.”
Read full post: http://www.chaindlk.com/reviews/?id=11233

Gefle Dagblad
“– Jag försökte hitta någon känsla efter första ep:n var ute. Och jag tyckte att jag fick djuphavskänslor ganska fort på de första tre klara spåren. Av alla olika slags hav egentligen.”
Read full post at: https://www.gd.se/artikel/hon-gor-musik-om-sjukaste-platsen-pa-jorden-folj-med-ner-i-marianergraven

Arbetarbladet
“AKB ger sig ut på djupt vatten – tar sig ner i Marianergraven: “Har jobbat två år med detta”
Read full post at: https://www.arbetarbladet.se/artikel/akb-ger-sig-ut-pa-djupt-vatten-tar-sig-ner-i-marianergraven-har-jobbat-tva-ar-med-detta

Groove.de (Motherborard Gebruary 2020)
“Die crispen wie schwebeleichten Sounds von Anna-Karin Berglund alias AKB zeichnen sich durch eine vergleichbare Qualität und Intensität des Leichtgewichtigen aus. Die Produzentin und Multinstrumentalistin aus der schwedischen Provinzstadt Gävlen bezieht sich weniger auf Neoklassik denn auf klassischen Ambient nach Brian Eno und Harold Budd.”
Read full post at: https://groove.de/2020/02/11/motherboard-februar-2020/2/

Rockerilla Italy
“Anna-Karin Berglund appartiene ad una generazione di musicisti cresciuti ascoltando le aurore boreali della propria terra, che trova nell’ambient la forma più naturale di espressione.”
Read full post at: http://www.rockerilla.com/akb/

A closer listen
“AKB‘s spacious electronics recall the classic age of ambience.  Marianergraven investigates the depths of the Mariana Trench, and its slightly claustrophobic feel makes us think of the creatures in Aquaman (Lamour, February 28, pictured left).”
Read full post at: https://acloserlisten.com/2020/01/03/2020-winter-music-preview-ambient/

Radio and blogs

Radio Panik
Played: Subduktion
www.radiopanik.org/emissions/indiedrome/indiedrome-du-2-2-2021/

Radio Nacional de España – RNE 3 Atmosfera – 14.02.2021
Lsiten:www.rtve.es/radio/radio3

RADIO LIBERTAIRE 89.4 PARIS 
Played: Öbågen (Alpha Mound remix)
Listen: https://www.mixcloud.com/wtmparis/

Radio Gwendolyne – Argonauta 02.06.2020
Played: Saktmodet & Subduktion
Listen: http://www.radiogwen.ch/argonauta-stagione-4-34/

Resonance FM 104.4 London
Played: Skymningszonen
Listen: http://www.mixcloud.com/Resonance/the-sound-projector-29-may-2020-new-records/

Radio Radio – 104.5 FM Calgary, Alberta – SONIC SPACE VOL.11  May/20
Played: Svallvågen
Listen: www.radioradio.ca

Radio Universidad de Chile – Loop
Played: Kustanropet & Subduktion
Listen: https://radio.uchile.cl/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/LOOP-9.4.2020.mp3

Source 96.1 FM – Random Jukebox
Played: Subduktion
Listen: https://www.thesourcefm.co.uk/

RTE Raidió na Gaeltachta
Played: Kustranropet
Listen: https://www.rte.ie/

RCV Lille 99.0 – El Réanimator #1335
Played: Saktmodet
Listen: http://rcv-lille.radio-website.com/

ITALIAN NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY RAI 3
Played: Skymningszoonen
Listen: https://www.raiplayradio.it/radio3/

Source 96.1 FM – This is not a Disco
Played: Sedimentär
Listen: https://www.thesourcefm.co.uk/

FSK 93.00 Hamburg – Doctore Xyramat
Played: Kustanropet
Listen: https://www.fsk-hh.org/

Radio Regent – The Moderns
Played: Subduktion
Listen: http://radioregent.com/

Fango Radio – Suoni dalla Pattumiera astrale
Played Soluppgången
Listen: https://www.fangoradio.com/shows/suoni-dalla-pattumiera-astrale/#episode-v

RCV Lille 99.0 – El Réanimator
Played: Svallvågen
Listen: http://rcv-lille.radio-website.com/

RTE Raidió na Gaeltachta
Played: Saktmodet
Listen: https://www.rte.ie/

FSK 93.00 Hamburg
Played: Saktmodet
Listen: https://www.mixcloud.com/jetzmann/

Dublab – Between Two Points
Played: Sedimentär
Listen: https://www.mixcloud.com/richardchartier/between-two-points-february-2020-radio-show-by-richard-chartier-for-dublab/

Radio Hannover 87.6 – Grenzwellen
Played: Skymningszonen
Listen: https://www.radio-hannover.de/

Radio Mercure 93.00 – Electronic Therapy
Played Skymningszonen
Listen: http://electronic-therapy.over-blog.com/

Toneshift
Played Skymningszonen
Listen: https://www.mixcloud.com/toneshiftnet/toneshift-23/

SÜDWESTRUNDFUNK SWR 2 Radiophon
Played: Soluppgången
Listen: https://www.swr.de/swr2/

Soundart Radio in Devon UK

Harrogate Community Radio/UK