Emil Ingmar: ‘Polaroids’

Opening with a gorgeous title track and developing through the collection of tunes inspired by snapshots of everyday family life, ‘Polaroids’ from composer and pianist Emil Ingmar is a gentle delight.

I always endeavour not to compare musicians, but there is something reminiscent of the recent releases from Fergus McCreadie - perhaps there is much that unites music from Sweden and Scotland. There is a simplicity and melodic clarity that unites these composers.

On Polaroids, Emil Ingmar (piano, keyboards and vocal synth) is joined by Fredrik Jonsson (double bass and electric bass) and Calle Rasmusson (drums), with appearances from Jonas Knutsson (saxes) and Markus Ahlberg (trombone).

June is one of the tracks that features sax, with Knutsson’s soprano sax taking the lead on the tune: the addition of sax on Polar is more subtle, as part of the wider soundscape. Ingmar nows how to use these additional touches - Ahlberg’s trombone(s) on Stone Skippers is voice-like above the groove of the wider ensemble.

Each tune adds a delicate musically-captured image of a moment in time, with Ingmar’s piano at the forefront but never overwhelmingly so.

‘Polaroids’ from composer and pianist Emil Ingmar is out on 25 September