Release date: 29-05-2009

2009 Holland 8-track vinyl LP Edition -Led by Lisa Isaksson, whose sweet and strong voice provides the core stamp for the album's eight songs, Lisa o Piu on When This Was the Future happily embrace the mystic stylings of strange art folk with psychedelic touches that have recurred with strength in a new century. Even more than solo performers in that vein from 40 years previously, Lisa o Piu's work suggests collectives -- the fragile side of Ghost, the murky neverland of Atman, the hushed reverence of Stone Breath. If the roots are clear, so also is the sense of dramatic flourish in the band's work, from Isaksson's singing -- beautifully double-tracked at many points -- to the loud echo of a gong or the sudden sparkle of finger cymbals amid the steady acoustic guitars and calm percussion. Isaksson plays many instruments herself, and her flute work throughout adds to the air of calm otherworldiness -- a familiar touch that is still breathtaking. Songs like "Forest Echo" and "Equatorial Changes" are standouts, but the whole album is a fine treat and a good pointer to whatever may come next -sealed in original artwork sleeve.

Tracks:
01 - Cinnamon Sea 
02 - Forest Echo 
03 - Traitor
04 - The Party 
05 - Two
06 - Equatorial Changes 
07 - Älvdans vid Kolarkojan
08 - And So On 

Lisa Isaksson grew up in a small town on the outskirts of Stockholm where she spent most of her time in horse stables dreaming of becoming a riding teacher and owning her own stables. When she wasn’t with the horses she was drawing and spending time on her own in the garden and fantasized about the future. As Lisa grew older and discovered music the drawings and horses soon turned into song lyrics and it wasn’t long before Lisa had rescued her mother’s old guitar from a life in the attic and began experimenting with her voice and songs and began exploring recording techniques with a 4-track recorder. Through the years her love of music continued to grow and she started performing with friends and eventually forming the band Piu together with her school buddies, Lisa’s debut record was a single released in Scotland in 2007. The single got a lot of good reviews and Lisa & Piu gave a couple of concert on the British Isles as well as home in Stockholm. They also came to perform with the British folk musician Roger Wootton who led the legendary acid folk band Comus during the early 1970s. The performances went so well that they were released as a live album. As summer came and turned Sweden into a green and pleasant place again the core of Piu; Lisa, David, Joel and Anders went to a small cottage in the beautiful archipelago north of Stockholm. They arranged and rehearsed the music and also had a lot of fun on the cliffs enjoying the endless sunsets of midsummer. So started the making of what was to become the debut album: “When this was the future”. The album is filled with delicious and bewitching woodland folk hymnals, eloquent yet eerie, and led by Lisa’s gossamer vocals, as delicate as a candle flame. The album is produced by Mattias Gustavsson (Life on Earth! / Dungen).
- When I heard Lisa o Piu it was if someone opened the portals to the secret world where from the greatest get their divine inspiration; Linda Perhacs, Bridget St. John, Joni Mitchell, Sandy Denny, Vashti Bunyan has all been there. And now Lisa Isaksson has apparently been there too. So I hereby warmly recommend you all to seat yourselves in a comfortable position and sink in to the most beautiful music this world can offer. Far away from any genres and trends.