ATWMSLM David Åhlén

• 1 All the way my Saviour leads me 03:08
• 2 Great is Thy faithfulness 03:11
• 3 Holy, holy, holy 03:14
• 4 Tell me the story of Jesus 04:30
• 5 Rock of ages 02:09
• Total Runtime 16:12

Info for ATWMSLM

Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? The early 70s, people move through the city. They have the youth, the looks - have sideburns, long hair - and use megaphones to sing their songs of praise. The sun streams and they clasp each other’s shoulders. “Jesus Is Lord,” the banners say, “Hallelujah,” Jesus Is Our Hope.” They are the so called 'Jesus people’ - a charismatic movement (prophecy, speaking in tongues, healing the sick and what not) in the 60-70’s - walking toward Kungsträdgården, Stockholm hoping to reach the lost...

It’s 2014 son of a ‚Jesus people’ - couple ‚David Ahlen’ is singing his songs of praise now too. His unique voice is sheer as the thinnest light; but very deep as a well and really touches listeners for many years in Sweden now. For the 70th birthday of David’s father, David recorded his father’s favorite hymns as a personal gift. David’s father was a preacher and traveled with his family from town to town to spread the gospel. Years later these beautifully recorded hymns have found their way on this ep called ‚All the way my saviour leads me’. The songs of David (what’s in the name…?) are short stories about faith, longing, life and also death. They are not your average gospel-tunes but have their own meaning, tone of voice and are very minimal too. Today David lives with family (wife and 5 kids) on the island of Gotland (in the Baltic sea) in a monastic community like it was 1971 again...

David has had a similar youth as David Eugene Edwards of 16 Horsepower and it’s not by chance both artists found their way on VOLKOREN a small Dutch independent label that always has an eye for music that’s a true blessing to both heart and ear.

“The album embodies his minimal aesthetic, with stripped down Baroque string arrangements and Åhléns unadorned vocal style“. (Wire Magazine)

“David Ahlen manages to convey the emotional sense of a spiritual world in a stripped down simplicity displaying a raw and unafraid voice.” (Cyclic Defrost)

'These are songs for the prayer closet, not the public square; but their intimacy and simplicity makes them both timely and timeless, modern psalms that the public should hear.' (Image Journal)

David Åhlén
The Swedish artist David Åhlén is the son of a Baptist pastor and was literally raised in the church. The simple songs and hymns made an impression on him at an early age. At age six, David started to study classical violin, which he continued through high school. However, when it came down to a choice between playing in an orchestra or writing songs for a pop band, he chose the later. Since the mid-90’s, David has been involved with a variety of indie bands. He spent several years as the songwriter and lead singer for the band Namur, where you could hear his voice among monotonous guitars, danceable drums, and roaring electronics.

Over the last ten years, David’s musical language has developed toward a simpler expression. With producer Andreas Runeson’s involvement, the arrangements have been peeled back to the core with David’s voice and more intimate, and complete, music remaining. This process of undressing to expose only voice, acoustic guitar and subtle arrangements has allowed his musical journey to reach the surface. The spirit which penetrated his live performances when he played in bands is still the same, but echoes from the years of violin lessons and the tone of the simple songs of faith he never stopped singing now emerge loud and clear.

David creates a peculiar hybrid of indie and hymn, sung with an inimitable voice. Kulturnyheterna SVT (Swedish Public Television) called him “indie pop music’s answer to Arvo Pärt.” David’s critically acclaimed debut album We Sprout in Thy Soil (Compunctio) features Uppsala Cathedral Boys’ Choir, Stefan Östersjö, Johan Berthling, Mariam Wallentin (Wildbirds and Peacedrums) and Emil Svanängen (Loney, Dear). David self-released his second album Selah in 2013 (and 2015 via the dutch label Volkoren). The album Selah was recorded in David’s home, the parsonage of Stenkumla on the island of Gotland.

In September 23, 2016, David released a third solo album - Hidden Light (Volkoren) in collaboration with Nicolai Dunger, Andreaz Hedén, Svante Henryson, Sofia Jernberg (Fire! Orchestra), Jonas Nilsson, Jonas Nyström and Manne von Ahn Öberg.

This album contains no booklet.