Self Help Manual, the captivating new album from AUTORHYTHM, traverses lush, scenic electronic terrains, often accompanied by infectious percussive pulses. The electronic project of Stockholm-based visual artist Joakim Forsgren delivers a wholly stirring listening experience. The album was completed in 2025 while the artist was undergoing life-altering neurosurgery. “I have composed the music in the same way as in my previous album – Songs for the Nervous System – through layers upon layers of improvisations in dialogue with my synthesizers, most of which are the same age as me,” Forsgren says.
Opening track “Symmetry” quickly emphasizes the artist’s ability to balance melodic approachability and inventive atmospherics. The track bounces along with a steady, driving groove and bass-y maneuvers, adorned by whirring effects that lend a playful effervescence — overall sitting somewhere between vibrant amiability and grimy entrancement. Up next, “One” unfolds with a more patient, spacey demeanor, weaving starry-eyed synth trickles with funky bass injections and bellowing fuzziness, culminating in a glimmering synth-forward outro that shows delectable shades of Boards of Canada.
Another standout track, “Longevity,” rides on sludgy bass movements initially, met by subdued electronic flourishes as the head-nodding bass and drum cadence persists in its infectiousness. The track’s heavy rhythmic edge and glistening synths combine for an immersive sound. Elsewhere, “Delta” dazzles as well in its interplay between pulsating, low-end heaviness and dynamic electronics, swelling from mellow and hypnotic intrigue into a beautiful textural expanse. The album’s title track is an impactful finale, presenting a very balanced blend of the aforementioned elements — namely, a grooving rhythm section, twinkling keys, and cosmic synths, all melding with sophisticated harmoniousness. Self Help Manual is a triumphant, deeply moving electronic success from AUTORHYTHM.
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We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
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