Finally! The much awaited third album (in three years!!!) from ILKAMA is here!
What a difference a year makes! When I released ILKAMANIA last year, it was a celebration of a long period of creative surplus. Songs just poured out of me, many came together in one sitting, and I was ecstatic to finally feel like I’d reached a place creatively where I was thriving and just having a lot of fun.
Many of the tracks on Superspeed were already in progress at the time of that release, but the past year and the process of finishing this album have been completely different from the last one. Coming off the ILKAMANIA high, it’s been a bit demoralizing to suddenly feel tired, unsure of myself, and unmotivated. I’ve felt that way not just about music, but about most things this past year, which isn’t like me at all. It hasn’t helped that the world has felt so painful and dystopian to exist in lately.
I’ve recently learned that I’ve been sick for a while without knowing it, which brings some context to how off I’ve been feeling. It’s forcing me to slow down and take each day at a time, which is a good thing, even if it makes it harder to follow through on my initial plans. Although this is quite personal, I think it’s worth sharing, as it adds another layer to Superspeed. And creating and releasing music is highly personal too, after all.
The name of the album (which is also the funny name of a ferry between Kristiansand and Hirtshals) originally came from noticing that the BPM I feel most comfortable working in has been creeping higher and higher over time. I now prefer to make things on the faster side, as these ten tracks show. I can’t help but think this reflects the pace of society today, but also the pace I’ve been going at for the past ten years. I definitely have some workaholism in my genes, and combined with an endless thirst for experiences, input and adventure, I tend to fill my calendar to the brim with projects and activities.
Everything on this album is shaped by the tempo I’ve been running at for years, one my body has started telling me is no longer sustainable. I’ve also been reflecting a lot about time, how I spend it, and how I move through life as if I’m always running out of it or struggling to keep up with it. This is my third album in three years! I guess I feel like I’ve missed out on a lot and have a lot to catch up on, something I also explore in the title track.
All of this to say: I hope you’ll take the time to listen. Working on Superspeed has been both exhausting and frustrating, but it has also brought me a lot of joy and quite a few victorious, seated dancing moments whenever things have clicked. I think a lot of the tracks carry the humor and playfulness that are characteristic of my work, so it's obvious that I've also had a lot of fun along the way. On days when I’m feeling confident, I even think this might be my best one yet. I’d love to hear what you think!