Welcome back to our sonic haven, where we once again open the sky to our favorite fan. Here comes our mysterious artist from Sweden, known for his works Arn-Identified Flying Objects and Alien Friends. This is a unique musician whose works have long been made a permanent part of our hearts, creating magical worlds of sound that will always be inside us. Have you ever got lost in the mystical atmosphere of “Happy People Won’t Hear,” the gentle melodies of “Your Love,” or the nostalgic sounds of “Vagnar Av Guld”? Then you know how special his works are; they not only entertain but speak to us directly.

So now he brings us a completely new sound called “The Sparrow.” Let’s forget about everything around us and enjoy the flight of this amazing melody.

The song starts from its very first second with an exhilarating tune that comes across like an abrupt flash of sunshine through the use of instrumentation. The real power lies in the moment the vocals come into play. The song’s emotional intensity takes off into the stratosphere, leaving no doubt whatsoever that you are listening to something unique and beautiful. This is quite an exciting start to a song that promises an unforgettable experience for sure.

However, the core of the song lies in an allegorical, deeply touching story about the intertwining of the savior and the saved. Through the voice of the narrator, the listener learns about the difficult life of a sparrow gasping its last breaths, but very soon comes to realize that the dying bird is no stranger but, rather, a reflection of the narrator’s soul. In the beginning, the narrator takes care of the injured bird without even realizing the fact that it is an embodiment of himself, and does so because of his subconscious desperation. Only by taking care of the bird, by holding its fragile beating heart and struggling to stay alive, by experiencing death and mortality, does the narrator come to understand the truth.  In the last, touching seconds of the song, the narrator lets go of his hold on the bird and urges it to fly free into the open skies. As the tiny wings soar high in the air, an epiphany slowly dawns upon the listener. Watching the bird free itself from the chains of its ordeal, the narrator realizes the reality of his own situation: he has been a prisoner of his own weighty existence, shackled by the chains that he did not know were tying him down. But by freeing the bird, he finds his own hard-won revelation. The gates of his cage are open as well. It is an amazing ending that gives us the realization that, despite whatever shattered state we may be in, we all carry within ourselves the grace to be free. Trying to save the poor sparrow, the narrator inadvertently discovers his own reflection, discovering that he is just as bruised and desperately seeking salvation as the sparrow itself.

A deep, divine kind of magic lies in the conception of this song, conceived not by careful recording but rather drawn straight from the mysticism of a dream. The sparrow sings of this in every one of its notes, composed primarily using minor chord progressions and unorthodox tonality to create an aura of haunting uncertainty and sorrow that is all too dreamlike. It’s like being lost in the midst of memories, enhanced even further by the sorrowful ringing of church bells and the ghostly cry of a mellotron. However, despite all its celestial wandering, the song remains connected to the earth by means of its earthly beat. As a result, drummer Andreas Quincy Dahlbäck brings to the song an element that makes sure that the song will be fully organic. This makes sure that the arrangement is not stagnant but rather alive. Then, just as you think that you have got the emotional climax of the song, you hear the bridge and chorus soar towards the heavens. With the cry of “Fly, sparrow fly,” delivered in an incredibly powerful voice by Stefan Petersson of Mother James and a former member of Morifade, the song reaches a new level of ecstasy.

Those of us who find ourselves swept up in the quiet purposefulness and subtle details of a song know that it’s a rare and wonderful thing to appreciate an artist who doesn’t leave anything to chance. For a creator to go above and beyond to make sure we see as well as hear what they’ve created, especially without a music video, is a cinematic experience. This artist has really taken the extra mile for us because he brings out the story of the song through the cover art. What we see here is a very symbolic art in which a man is seen holding a huge sword in his left hand while his right hand is holding a small sparrow. As one takes a keen look at the picture, one will be able to spot the painful detail of the wounded bird. This is an amazing visual representation of the theme in the song. It is through the man holding the animal that one sees him holding the mirror to realize that he is staring at himself. His soul lies in the wounded part of this bird in his hand.

It would be hard to deny the incredible envy that I feel towards the narrator’s deep self-awareness. To be able to look inside oneself with such clarity and to see one’s broken soul through the eyes of a fragile bird is truly magical. It is exactly what makes us keep coming back. This artist has shown once again that he does not simply create music; he offers a masterpiece to us to experience firsthand, proving our absolute faith in him that everything he creates is amazing. The song “The Sparrow” is an absolute masterpiece, an incredible, fantastic piece of storytelling that makes us stand in awe of its beauty. Bravo to a genius artist who keeps pushing the boundaries of the indie music scene higher. We leave listening to “The Sparrow,” not satisfied but full of hope for what is to come next, being sure that everything from here on will be even better than before.

Stream “The Sparrow” on Spotify or SoundCloud

Follow Arn-Identified Flying Objects and Alien Friends on their socials; Facebook, Instagram