Magnus Öström
Thread Of Life

Swedish musician Magnus Öström gained worldwide fame as the drummer of the Esbjörn Svensson Trio. From 1993 onward, the trio revolutionized the jazz world. With their almost hypnotic and rock-infused grooves, Öström played a significant role in redefining the classic piano trio genre with e.s.t.. The band's career came to an end at its peak in 2008 with the untimely death of Svensson. It took Öström two years to return to music after this tragic event, and he released his first solo album, "Thread of Life," in 2010. This album, enveloped in melancholic reflection, sought its own path by incorporating elements of art rock and electronica and focusing more on sounds than melodies. Jazz thing described the album as "a jazz band that is fully immersed in rock." However, it also highlighted how crucial Öström's distinctive drumming style—precise as a metronome, yet filled with feverish groove and unusual brushwork—was for e.s.t., so much so that Öström was awarded the Echo Jazz for Best International Drummer in 2012. The rock magazine eclipsed raved, "Here is a musician who has gone beyond himself to grow into a tremendous apotheosis." Öström's "Searching For Jupiter" (2013) marked the next stage in his journey. The album continued to expand on the stylistic direction of jazz-rock and progressive rock, but it was more positive, optimistic, and hymn-like in its mood.