Alderman - Do Not Fear

Hear The Track Here

In February 2004, I wrote a review that stated the rules of this particular game. You hear 20 newbie tracks, 10 are easily dismissible as being too raw, too undisiplined to really make any dents, another 5 are interesting and of note but not particularly memorable, 4 will be of very good quality and ONE will definitely do the business. THIS is that elusive one Little did I know it at the time but this was my introduction to one of my best friends on this scene and a musician I have watched from pretty much a standing start. That review (it was the original Glimpse Of Wonderland, not the Liane version) showed me a track that had all the hallmarks I have come to associate with this artist; good production, attention to detail and an abiding love for a pretty tune.

So here we are two years down the line, and Leif Liljeqvist (aka Alderman) has become a Soundclick fixture, collaborator with Jim (of Jim-n-Lisa) in Pond Surfers and as many other musical pies as he can stuff his thumbs into. To be fair, I haven't always liked everything that he has done but he has pleased me more times than disappointed and that's not bad going. The first thing you may notice about Do Not Fear is that it's called Demolition? wtf that is all about is anyone's guess but it's always good to remember that Alderman is Swedish and that says a lot :D The other thing you may notice is how disjointed and jumpy it is, a vertiable hodge podge of various elements that initially - to me anyway - didn't seem to make much sense.

The reason I went back to the beginning of my relationship with Lief when I started this review was because this track reminds me very strongly of where he came from. There are a million samples I recognise in this odd little track, and a feel that reminds me so strongly of the music I listened to from 2002 to 2004. If you asked me to be completely honest, I'd have to say that although I liked the elements (especially the fat lady singing) there was an unfinished quality about the track as a whole. Moreover, to my ears, there didn't seem to be any overriding theme that would tie such a disparate collection of sounds to hang together. As Leif states on the song comment 'it was hard to choose a genre for this one' and I agree completely. See, it's a bit too many styles, if you know what I mean. Not, to my mind, one of this artists better outings but there are more than enough of those around to make up for this one.