Alright, let’s dive into Bootstrap, the 2001 gem from Habakkuk. This Swedish band somehow managed to blend rock and funk/soul into something wild yet smooth—Free Funk, they call it. No label backing them, just pure vibes straight outta Sweden. And honestly? It works.
First off, gotta shout out "Calm Down." Man, this track hits different. Starts with this groovy bassline that feels like your headphones are hugging your brain (yeah, I said it). Then the drums kick in, all loose but tight at the same time—you know what I mean? Like when you're trying to chill but also wanna dance around your room. The vocals have this raw edge, not too polished, which makes it feel real. It's one of those songs where halfway through, you realize you've been nodding your head for five minutes straight. Can’t unhear it once it gets stuck in your head.
Then there’s “Öga.” Okay, so maybe it’s because I don’t speak Swedish fluently, but there’s something mysterious about this one. The guitar riffs sound like they’re wandering off on their own adventure while still keeping up with the beat. There’s a moment near the middle where everything drops except for this haunting little melody—it gives me chills every damn time. Feels cinematic, like it should be playing during some intense scene in a movie where someone’s running through Stockholm at sunset. Or maybe that’s just me romanticizing stuff again.
The rest of the album has its moments too—I mean, tracks like “Believe” and “Listen” keep things interesting—but these two stood out to me as the ones I’d remember weeks later. Maybe it’s how unapologetically weird and free-spirited the whole thing is. You can tell Habakkuk wasn’t trying to fit into any box here; they were just making music that felt right.
Here’s the kicker though: why isn’t this album bigger? Seriously, how does something this good fly under the radar? Free Funk might not be everyone’s cuppa tea, but if you dig bands that take risks without overthinking it, Bootstrap deserves a spot in your playlist. Honestly, listening to it feels like finding an old mixtape in the back of your car and realizing it’s secretly amazing. So yeah, props to Habakkuk for doing their own thing. Now excuse me while I go figure out what “I Din kärlek” means… Google Translate, here we go!
