7/10

Swedish indie-folk ensemble And The Broken make an emphatic statement with their debut full-length 'Changes', following a flurry of well-received EPs these last few years. While the band’s previous releases hinted at their genre-blending tendencies, this nine-track record delivers an expansive yet intimate exploration of identity, connection, and the subtle shifts that shape adulthood. Recorded in singer Tobias Borelius’s home and the band’s rehearsal space, the album carries a feeling of warmth that can only emerge from creative spaces imbued with familiarity and collaboration.

From the opening chords of tracks like 'Into The Black' and its vibrant title-track, the album feels like a carefully curated journey through the human experience. The interplay of acoustic textures with cello, saxophone, mellotron, trumpet, and occasional ukulele lends 'Changes' a nuanced soundscape, where each instrument serves the emotional storytelling. Nelly Karinsdotter Pålsson’s cello threads through multiple songs, providing a haunting counterpoint to Tobias and Johan’s intertwining guitar lines, while Svante Svärd’s saxophone injects subtle jazz inflections that elevate tracks into moments of breezy, reflective beauty.

Lyrically, 'Changes' walks the line between the universal and the personal, reflecting on youth, love, aging, and self-discovery with a quiet honesty. Whether contemplating the fading of relationships, the search for selfhood, or the whimsical observations of the modern world, the album’s narrative feels cohesive and deliberate, each song a vignette that contributes to the whole. The band’s willingness to experiment with form demonstrates both confidence and an understanding of texture as storytelling.

'Changes' is a record that rewards patience and repeated listening, revealing ever-deeper layers of emotion and craft. It establishes And The Broken as a band capable of blending folk intimacy with indie-rock dynamism, and of creating music that is simultaneously reflective, cinematic, and achingly human. This debut is a declaration of a band finding their voice and shape in a complex, shifting world.