As a lovely surprise for fans old and new to indie pop, Astrid Swan lifts the veil and gives light to a previously unheard gem from her iconic Poverina sessions, "Special Ones (Original Version). Included on the Poverina 20th Anniversary Edition, the song offers a rare glimpse into Swan's early creative process, tapping into the unvarnished spark that first electrified her own imagination in her twenties.
Penned at some ungodly hour of the night, "Special Ones" spilled out of Swan completely intact, and she was left with the eerie sense that she couldn't quite put her finger on it, but that the song wasn't quite hers. You can hear this sense of instantaneous inspiration all over the track, a song that pairs off-kilter pop sensibilities with just enough of the complexity Swan has become known for. It's a song that flirts with mainstream accessibility while maintaining the sophistication and depth of her more crafty material.
Recorded by Swan with Nick Triani and Jyrki Tuovinen and premiered here, the song's original arrangement is at once intimate and vast. With her voice up front and, in addition to her piano and synths, inspired electric guitar from Mikael Hakkarainen, supple bass from Janne Lehtinen, sturdy drums from Heikki Tikka, deep baritone guitar from Arttu Tolonen, eloquent lap steel from Michael McDonald, scratchy acoustic from Nick Triani and spicy percussion from Abdissa Mamba Assefa, Swan's vocals weave and coalesce in a rich, layered soundworld that's somehow both moderately warm and eminently present. Mastered by Tuomas Salmela makes the track really shine, yet keeps its organic feel.
"Special Ones" is a pop-powered melody, albeit with Swan's signature introspective undercurrent. The song's trajectory from underloved afterthought to treasured part of the Poverina legacy feels like a metaphor for Swan's own evolution as an artist who resists being pigeon-holed by genre or expectation. This is not just a 20th anniversary celebration of a much-loved album, but also a poignant reminder of Swan's uncompromising commitment to both banality and complexity. The veterans of the little indie pop scene & the singer-songwriter craftsmanship, and the subtle songwriting fans will all rejoice in seeing, finally, on this one-disc original version of "Special Ones" participate.
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