Anders Hagberg: ‘With Hope’

The multi-talented Anders Hagberg has released a remarkable collection of globally-influenced iracks on ‘With Hope’

Opening with Elasticity of Trees and a breathy flute over sparse piano, bass and percussion, the entire collection of tunes on With Hope brings a sense of the positive that we all need in this difficult world.

I have reviewed very few albums that centre around flute, even though it’s one of my favourite instruments to both play and listen to.

Hagberg has collaborated with some giants of contemporary music including Avishai Cohen, Marilyn Mazur and Jon Hassell and With Hope delivers a selection of tunes that are composed or improvised, as well as those inspired by traditional songs from Ukraine. Meanwhile, the album concludes with an arrangement of Francis Poulenc’s O Magnum Mysterium with one of the gorgeous lower flutes that sits beautifully with the bass.

Joining Anders Hagberg (concert, alto, bass and contrabass flutes, soprano sax, matusi and singing bowl) are Johannes Lundberg (double bass, vocals, Oberheim, FX), Joona Toivanen (piano, prepared piano, synthesizer, Key Bird, FX) and Helge Andreas Norbakken (percussion, drums).

The external influences on Hagberg’s composition, arrangement and improvement are immense, especially in Ruins, Evening Hymn and With Hope, which are all inspired by chorales from Gammelsvenskby in Ukraine. Similarly, Arctic Call comes from an Inuit drum song and Woods in Blue reflects a traditional Swedish polska from Härjedalen. Together, the collection of tunes take those influences from around the world and combine effortlessly into the Hagberg quartet’s own style.

Hagberg says: “For me, this music is a response to the challenges we face. It’s filled with sadness, but also hope. Hope that I find in listening and creating together, in children’s play, in small acts of resistance and resilience. Music allows us to see the beauty that still exists in these uncertain times.”

A warning: I finished this review and hadn't realised that I had kept With Hope playing. as the tracks went roung again There is a mesmeric quality to the album and I hope you can get lost in it, too.