Swedish singer, pianist, and composer Nelly Klayman-Cohen, using the moniker Rotem Geffen, adds both refined and ruffled edges to her dreamy world of experimental pop. Rotem Geffen’s debut record, You Guard the Key, draws from the playful sensibilities of stripped-down, piano-driven songwriting and free jazz wrapped in the dark, aromatic undercurrents of the surreal. With a nod towards a more reserved and minimal approach to lyricism, her clever delivery is amplified by more wistful inflections. She is keenly aware of the prismatic colorations of her voice and pushes her vocal timbres to distorted undulations. Her songwriting is coupled with her deft approach to timbre and orchestration, joined by some of Stockholm’s finest improvisers: Isak Hedtjärn, clarinet (IH3, Viagra Boys, Fire! Orchestra); Milton Öhrström, synth (Sol Tors Taverna, Urban:Dentist, Honeywolf); and Vilhelm Bromander, bass (Joe Davolaz, Lisa Ullen, Fredrik Rasten). You Guard the Key was released 2021 on cassette label Zeon Light. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.

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