A Stockholm, Sweden artist with a penchant for creative, lo-fi sounds, Paradise Of Yesterday is well versed in jazz, experimental, psychedelic and various forms of rock, and all those ideas are present for these 12 stylish tracks that are never short on ambience and electronic manipulation.

“Neglected” begins the listen and certainly doesn’t neglect any sense of mood, where the bright brass and dreamy backdrop is both mysterious and enlightening. “Lament” then continues the rich formula with more emphasis on drumming and some subtle prog-rock nods, too, that add a nice dimension to the chilling formula.

Further yet, the dreamy textures of “Highlight” are easy to appreciate and hard to forget, while the soulfulness of “Towering” carries a nostalgic spirit that’s not short on grooves. “Fallen,” one of the album’s best, then comes with cinematic qualities that unfold with a soaring and firm delivery, almost in a way that brings to mind a more muscular version of New Age sensibilities.

The second half of the listen begins with the booming sax of the mesmerizing and jazzy buzzing that is “Temptation,” but it’s the meticulous guitar-esque progressions of “Sophistication” that really illuminates this portion of the enlightening experience.

Approaching the end, the piano heavy “Ballroom” brings both tension and melody to the table, and the hazy, slow burning “Remembrance” finishes the listen with waves of beauty and shimmering songcraft that could double as soundtrack meditation, reflection or just an excuse to get lost in the artistic side of music.

Paradise Of Yesterday has amassed a large catalog of music in just five years, and this darker fueled body of work seems destined for late night introspection, where experimental and vapor wave gestures are lush, colorful, lucid and rooted in old VHS soundtracks.

Rating: B+

User Rating: Not Yet Rated

Comments