When not taking part in his regular gig with
Peter Bjorn and John or working on outside productions like
Chrissie Hynde's 2014 album,
Stockholm, John Eriksson makes music under the name
Hortlax Cobra. After releasing two albums, the
Moroder-inspired
Night Shift and the more experimental
1984, in 2012, he took a bit of a break, but returned in 2017 with
Lightworks. Unlike previous
Hortlax records, Eriksson takes a giant leap into the mainstream of modern electronic pop here. Collaborating with vocalists on half the tracks, he forsakes vintage synths or '80s sounds in favor of a slick, up-to-date approach that balances club beats with slow ballads. It's a sound that anyone can hear with the flip of a radio switch, but in Eriksson's steady hands, the shift doesn't come off as opportunistic. Instead, it sounds like the work of a craftsman who has updated his tools, but hasn't left behind his skills. The best songs are those that push the emotional content to the fore, like "I'm Still Here," which features some deep longing in the vocal department from
Ane Brun. The sweeping "As Far as My Eyes Could See" is another powerful track, and features some very strong singing by
Noonie Bao. The other vocal collaborations are good too, with
Sibille Attar fronting the fun Nordic R&B jam "Gimme the Highlights" and
Jennie Abrahamson showing some solid queen-of-the-ice-disco chops on the chilly dancefloor cut "Night Still Young." Eriksson takes over the vocals on the rest of the tracks, mainly singing through a vocoder. These tracks are a little more fun and frivolous; the frothy "Bus Stop" sounds light enough to blow away in a stiff breeze, "I'm Ready" comes across like an early
Daft Punk rough draft, and the two interludes ("Light," "Dusk") drift pass like colorful clouds. Only "Unfinished Melody" has any of the depth of the collaborations, and it would have been better served if it were sung by a vocalist on par with the others he brought in. That minor quibble aside,
Lightworks is a fine return for Eriksson and
Hortlax Cobra that shows he can play with the big boys and girls of pop if he wants, and in the case of a couple songs like "I'm Still Here" and "As Far as My Eyes Could See," maybe even win a few rounds. ~ Tim Sendra