US AND THEM – THE LIGHTS AND THE SHADOW (Friends of the Fish) (2025)

The Swedish-based duo Us and Them’s stock in trade is vocal harmonies and strong melodies with elements of folk, psychedelia and baroque pop. Their “Introduction To” (also on Fruits de Mer) was a sell-out.

Britt and Anders of the band explain the intention behind this somewhat introspective release: "While working on it, the songs were pulling in two directions, partly towards the pastoral and idyllic - a kind of escape from reality and a denial of the world that is going on outside of us - and partly towards a darker, more atmospheric sound; le describing: the light and shadow.

And no, it has no relation to the famous Pink Floyd song. Prog magazine mentioned their rustic, rural charm and referred to a Gothic exterior with a sense of humour.