After a series of devastating meteor strikes on Earth, project SPACEGUARD began collecting data about all incoming objects that could be observed. One day, in the year 2131, an object that looked big was detected, heading past Jupiter in the general direction of Earth. This new object was soon named Rama, after the seventh avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, The Sustainer. As Rama came closer it was apparent that it was not a solid object, it was hollow, 20 kilometres (12 mi) in diameter and 50 kilometres (31 mi) long, and almost completely featureless. The spaceship Endeavour was sent out to encounter this rapidly approaching gigantic enclosed spinning hollow object.

ARTEFACT is a tribute to RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA, the 1973 classic science fiction novel by Arthur C. Clarke. It is dark in deep space, the feeling is ethereal, kinetic, and layered. There is just no need for words, but there is a little chatter on the intercom. Each song has special synthesizer qualities and all of them flow into a beautiful mix, there is a very specific story here. This music reveals hidden colors: bespangled, bright, and brilliant; celestial, glittering, with soaring echoes, pulsing and beating patterns, you are headed into the unknowable future, there is no turning back. Forward motion is the best description of the nature of the electronic music made by Johan Agebjörn, who has an amazing career. He lives in Lund, Sweden, he studies psychology, he is a father, and he makes electronic music from time to time. He has two main projects, the first is his “ambient electro” or “arctic ambient” project, and the other a ”neo-italo disco” project, Sally Shapiro. He also has run his own micro-label, Husmus, since 2006.

Mikael Ögren is a Swedish musician heavily influenced by electronic pioneers Kraftwerk and Jean Michel Jarre, as well as ’90s trance innovators such as Jam & Spoon. During the mid-2010s he began collaborating with his neighbor, Johan Agebjörn, when the two remixed “Aurora” by synthwave producer Tommy ’86 in 2015. Ögren’s remix of Agebjörn’s song “The Leftovers” (featuring Loney Dear) was released later in the year, and in 2016, Ögren and Agebjörn reworked Jam & Spoon’s 1992 remix of the genre-defining eponymous single by the Age of Love.

In 2017 Agebjörn and Ögren released an ambient album on Spotted Peccary Music called We Never Came To The White Sea, a soundtrack to an unedited roadmovie through Russian Karelia, where Agebjörn’s grandfather was born, when it belonged to Finland.

Agebjörn and Ögren have recently created their second collaborative release, Artefact, also on the Spotted Peccary Music label, also employing vintage synthesizers (Gear: Access Virus Indigo II, Alesis Micron, Clavia Nord Lead 2, Kurzweil K2000, Novation Supernova, Propellerheads Reason 11 with Korg MonoPoly, Roland DJ-70, Roland JD-800, Roland JP-8000, Thoraiz AS-1, Waldorf Blofeld, Yamaha AN1x) which blend into the ethereal atmospherics and electronic sounds of a classic sci-fi soundtrack, enjoying styles ranging from ambient to trance. All tracks written, performed and produced by Johan Agebjörn and Mikael Ögren. Tracks 1-2 co-written and co-performed by Stefan Strand. Track 7 co-written and co-performed by Johan Emmoth. Vocals on track 9 by Martina Björk. Mastered by Howard Givens. Illustrations (front, back and sketches) by Kilian Eng. Graphic design by Daniel Pipitone.

An artifact might be defined as an object produced by human craft, of archaeological or historical interest. Today, celebrated electronic artists Johan Agebjörn and Mikael Ögren return with their second collaborative release, Artefact, three tracks from the highly-anticipated album scored exclusive previews on music culture outlets Resident Advisor, Obscure Sound and Vehlinggo. The album released today on Spotted Peccary Music; music fans can listen, view or purchase the music on the platform of their choice at https://orcd.co/artefact

“This has been such an exciting journey from the beginning ’til the end,” says Ögren. “The first visions and sensations that unfolded as I laid on a beach on a sunny Greek island, reading Rendezvous with Rama, Arthur C Clarke’s astonishing masterpiece.”

On the album, the warm pulse of vintage synthesizers blends with the steely atmospherics and electronic sounds of a modern sci-fi soundtrack. With styles ranging from ambient to trance, Artefact also features collaborations with a fellow Spotted Peccary recording artist Stefan Strand (aka Between Interval) and independent musician Johan Emmoth (aka Le Prix), as well as ethereal soprano vocals by Martina Björk.

“Stefan Strand is an old friend of mine,” explains Agebjörn. “This is the first time we have collaborated on an original track. I love his music.” He continues, “Johan Emmoth is a talented musician who I got to know when we made a few tracks and remixes together in disco/synthwave style, but this is more ambient/experimental than the earlier ones.”

Martina Björk — a friend of Ögren — is a soprano singer with a PhD in Latin. He says, “She managed to catch the very special, kind of sacred, ancient feeling and combined it with the almost melancholic, sad sense of abandonment that saturates the very moment of the Rama story that this song is trying to depict.”

The audience is beckoned to join the brave space expedition inside the artefact, revealing the inner landscapes and prompting the imagination of the listener. Despite the heavy use of synths of the ’90s, the whole album carries more of a timeless character than their previous album, covering different styles and images from the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, and even an echo from the 18th and 19th century through Björk’s beautiful soprano voice.

“The main reason why Rendezvous With Rama attracted me to such an extent, was that the main theme seems to be the encounter with the otherworldy, the very Other, the big unknown,” explains Ögren.

On June 11, 2021, a “Space Travel” EP is planned for release, with three electronic remixes. Artefact follows the duo’s previous collaboration, the adventurous album We Never Came to the White Sea (SPM 3301), which chronicled a road trip through the wooded expanse of the Russian Karelia, once part of Finland. Additionally, Agebjörn released two solo projects with Spotted Peccary, including The Mountain Lake (LSM19), and Mossebo (SPM 4201).

Explore independent album reviews and video premieres of Artefact at the sites below:

“Monitoring the Zooids” on Resident Advisor: https://ra.co/reviews/33759

“Space Travel” on Vehlinggo: https://vehlinggo.com/2021/05/20/agebjorn-ogren-space-travel/

“Static Air” on Obscure Sound: https://www.obscuresound.com/2021/04/premiere-johan-agebjorn-mikael-ogren-static-air/

All tracks were written, performed and produced by Johan Agebjörn and Mikael Ögren, tracks 1-2 co-written and co-performed by Stefan Strand, track 7 co-written and co-performed by Johan Emmoth. Vocals on track 9 by Martina Björk, and is available for physical purchase in CD format and in 24-BIT AUDIOPHILE, CD QUALITY LOSSLESS, MP3 and streaming formats. The CD version of Artefact arrives in a factory sealed 6-panel gatefold package that includes vibrant artwork, liner notes, a 4-page booklet, with illustrations (front, back and sketches) by Kilian Eng, and package design by Daniel Pipitone.

Tracklist:
1. Extravehicular Activity
2. Passing the Gates (with Between Interval)
3. The Plain
4. The Storm That Passed
5. Flight Over the Sea
6. Static Air
7. Octapod (with Le Prix)
8. Monitoring the Zooids
9. The Hall of Crystals (with Martina Björk)
10. Interplanetary Threat
11. Space Travel
12. Final Sight

Links:
Spotted Peccary Album page: https://spottedpeccary.com/shop/artefact/
Smartlink to major platforms: https://orcd.co/artefact
Album Unboxing Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWzlX923GuM
Spotted Peccary Artist page: https://spottedpeccary.com/artists/johan-agebjorn/
Bandcamp: https://ambientelectronic.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spottedpeccary/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/spottedpeccary

Johan Agebjörn
www.johanagebjorn.info
www.facebook.com/agebjorn
https://www.youtube.com/user/husmusmedia
www.soundcloud.com/johan-agebjorn

Mikael Ögren
https://www.facebook.com/synthmikael

Stefan Strand

https://www.betweeninterval.com/

Johan Emmoth
https://leprix.tumblr.com/

Kilian Eng
https://www.instagram.com/kilianeng/

Arthur C. Clarke
http://arthurcclarke.org/#start

Artefact Unboxing