Introducing Tomofon
By musicians for musicians
We at Klevgrand are very fortunate and spoiled by having a number of still touring musicians and bands within the Klevgrand office walls. It's a bit like the chicken or the egg - what came first - Klevgrand Musicians or Klevgrand instruments.
Creating Tomofon has been a long long journey. In addition to all the musicians working at Klevgränd, we have had over 15 instrumentalists and singers involved in shaping our new synth Tomofon - everything from bagpipe players, country musicians to opera singers. We are happy and humbled that all our music friends put up with us during and even after our very intense and monotonic studio-sessions. But the instrument that came out of this process turned out pretty fantastic if we may say so ourselves. And we couldn't resist writing some new songs.
Here is: I Am Karate, Frankfurt and Artymove who has written three songs with Tomfon as a source of inspiration. What do these bands all have in common? They all have members who weekly show up by the Klevgrand coffee machine.
I Am Karate Erika Ahlström and Marta Pettersson are the producers and songwriters behind the Swedish pop duo I Am Karate. The duo grew up on different sides of the deep forests of Dalarna, Sweden, and didn’t meet each other until 2013. After one single musical encounter in 2014 they knew they had to start a band, and made their debut in 2015 with an EP called “I Am Karate” with a progressive electronic pop sound similar to Fever Ray mixed with Robyn.
Facts: In 2020, during a well known world wide pandemic, the duo released their long awaited debut album. The album showcased a new improved martial musical artistry; with heavy beats, quirky sounds, shiny melodies and two totally united singing voices on top. Today I Am Karate has millions of streams on spotify and is now working on their new EP to be released next year.
The Frankfurt project represents a different way of working. An undemanding way, where the music is allowed to develop over a longer period of time and goes beyond trends and genres. A way of working that produced the self-titled debut album where electric organs are interwoven with electronic and organic instruments.
Petter Winnberg Member of Amason and has been in Hjálmar, Little Majorette and has solo projects under the name Petter Sebastian. Has worked with artists such as Veronica Maggio, Markus Krunegård, Neneh Cherry, Eva Dahlgren, Seinabo Sey, Miike Snow, Amanda Bergman, Tussilago, Daniel Boyacioglu, Sarah Klang, wrote music for TV and film and runs the live stage Rockbonden on his farm where artists such as First Aid Kit, Tallest Man on Earth and Amanda Bergman played.
Mikael Sundin Has played with Lykke Li, Jenny Wilson, Hjálmar and Taken By Trees.
Pierre Riddez Member of the band Tussilago. Has worked with artists such as Mapei, Jelly Crystal, Miike Snow, Amason, Kate Boy and Stranger Mountain. Organized a number of festivals and clubs such as Yatzy on the Kägelbanan, the festival Lidelsen and Trädgårdfesten in Vinterviken and more.
Artymove Swedish Artymove is known for their limitless electronic pop, smearing into genres of RnB and alternative dance music and for always exploring new ways of developing interactive live sets, using live looping, electric guitars and the Monome. The band consists of Klevgränd co-founder Peter Sydén (keyboard and monome), Peter Hägerås (guitar) and Mathilda Lindgren (vocals).
Facts The band has received multiple accolades for releases, been part of exhibitions in the Swedish Music Hall of Fame and had their collab tune with Panic Disco, No Niin, featured in the Netflix Original series “Tuca & Bertie”. Their tunes have reached the US, South Africa and Japan, much thanks to innovative music videos and campaigns, highlighting global climate activists ahead of the Paris Agreement, photographs of Palestinians in Gaza by artist Linda Forsell, gay marriage rights and body positivity. Check out the tracks #NoBetterMoment, One Of These Days, Fuck That and the band’s brand spanking new Tomofon-loaded track Vibe.