At the core of Everyone is here lies Kajsa Lindgren's usual process, defined by one simple question: "How can you make something of your own by manipulating time and space?" The Swedish composer joins Warm Winters Ltd. after recent releases with Hyperdelia (WOMB, 2018) and Longform Editions (Undercurrents, 2019).
This album's 20 tracks are based around archival recordings that Kajsa stumbled upon in her parents' old basement and around memories of places or sounds from her childhood. Slowly, the album moves through time, at first reinterpreting recordings from the 60s and 70s, eventually showcasing some of Kajsa's latest compositions for voice and field recordings. Some pieces utilise very specific recordings - "Trio for cello, piano and violin" is based on an audio snippet of Kajsa's "mother, uncle and grandfather making an appearance as a trio in Swedish radio sometime during the 70's" - while others - "Anna", inspired by memories of the Lindgrens' family boat called Anna and the sensation of being rocked to sleep by the Baltic sea waves - are more related to memories, places or objects.
But Everyone is here isn't a mere timeline of sounds or melancholic dive into previous decades. The album is a meditation on themes of inheritance, family and closeness. The composer describes the process of collecting old sonic material as "comforting", especially in relation to her relationship with her grandparents, parents and family friends. "[The process] has given me an intimate understanding of them as human beings. We've all been kids, becoming adults. Trying to figure out who we are, what we want, what makes us happy and sad in life. There's a great sense of connection and humility in that."