The Forest & The Trees – Missions (2014)

It was about two years ago that Joel and Linnea Edin, the husband-and-wife duo that makes up The Forest & the Trees left behind their home of Stockholm to spend a few months in Spain. Somewhat devoid of inspiration in the darkness of Sweden following the lush folk pop of their debut album, Joel and Linnea worked and lived in Valencia for a while, figuring out where to go next with their music.
They’ve said it wasn’t a case of escaping, more of facing up to what’s coming next but when you hear the pair harmonising the lyrics “far away from the neighbourhood”, “we shared a vision to go beyond” and “we have to keep the flame alive” on the title track of their new album Missions you get the feeling removing themselves from their home was completely necessary for them to produce this record; it’s an album that makes you yearn for somewhere other than where you are right now, an encouragement to indulge in some escapism of your own…whether it’s physically removing yourself to sunnier climes or simply letting you mind quest for inspiration, the choice is yours.

The sound of Spain and its influence on the Edins is stark from the opening three tracks here; the skin and bones of The Forest & the Trees has grown some muscle and some optimism under the Valencia sun and it’s transformed the carefree and winsome nature of the duo’s music into something more focused. ‘You’re In My Skin’ (the only song actually written in Spain) glows hot through Balearic-tinged beats and a driving sugary rush that’s reminiscent of many indie-pop acts from the ’80s (plus plenty from the Captured Tracks label at the minute) but there’s a distinct Cocteau Twins flavour to the song that’s a pleasing development. ‘Putting Down the Gun’ puts you in mind of fellow Swedes The Radio Dept. so it’s no surprise to learn that Johannes Berglund is behind the production, expert as he is at crafting pop music with a sharp edge. The aforementioned ‘Missions’ finds the Edins trading lines and harmonies as they support each other in their choice to move away from Sweden: it’s a song as much about growing up and losing that innocence behind snap decisions as it is about regaining it through taking (reasoned) chances.

The version of The Forest & The Trees we found on the first record is never completely forgotten, and can be heard on the baroque, string-laden swoon of ‘The Song That Breaks My Heart’ and the fragile, frosty folk pop of ‘Flesh & Bone’…but the duo could write this sort of stuff in their sleep, so it’s more interesting to hear something like ‘What We Lost’, a song that you could imagine beginning as an acoustic strum in the studio but is transformed by treated drums and a shivering electric guitar line into a storming indie anthem that really does point the way ahead for The Forest & The Trees.

You wouldn’t call Missions a great leap forward, but by reassessing what’s important to them Joel and Linnea Edin have taken an important step in their evolution as The Forest & The Trees. It’s an album that recognises the importance of positivity and togetherness, and is all the better for it.