The young Swedish guitarist's debut recording mixes balladry and a whisper of Afro-Cuban rhythm into an all-original mix of interlocking lines, solid beats and counterpoint bass. It's a bit short on harmonic development and standout melodies are hard to fi nd, but tricky themes beefed up by gutsy horns and strong solos compensate. Nilsson has a clean guitar sound, shimmers nicely on ballads and his touch is precise. And he has a good working relationship with his well-schooled rhythm section – Winther is a rising star from Copenhagen's Rhythmic Music Conservatory; Åman a fellow alumnus of Malmö's academy of music. The two saxophonists are heavyweights, and tend to lead from front – there's bags of energy, but not much dialogue. Alto saxophonist Fredrik Kronkvist shows off his Kenny Garrett side with a good deal of swagger while Marcus Strickland digs in deep, cruising over the looped harmonies of ‘The Trigger’ and bringing the ballad ‘Thin Eyes’ to a tense climax.