The Tallest Man on Earth – 'Just Beyond Endless Mountain' review: homecoming to Dalarna
Kristian Matsson returns to the roots of Swedish folk music. Critics call it his strongest album in years – musicOMH gives it 4 out of 5.
Photo: Matt Perich from Lausanne, Switzerland / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (cropped and resized)
Single video: YouTube · The Tallest Man on Earth · youtube.com
Single: Overboda
Kristian Matsson, aka The Tallest Man on Earth, released his eighth album, 'Just Beyond Endless Mountain', on ANTI- on October 9. The Swede recorded it in Dalarna, where he grew up and now lives on a farm. He played most of the instruments himself and recorded on a reel-to-reel machine to capture the sound of old Swedish field recordings. Many melodies grew out of fiddle phrases, modelled on the polska, a traditional dance in triple time.
Reviews are very positive. musicOMH awards four out of five stars, calling the album a subtle, rich evolution rather than a reinvention – possibly Matsson's finest in some time and best heard on headphones. SPIN calls it the 43-year-old's strongest work in years; its predecessor, 'Henry St.' (2023), had received mixed reviews.
The centrepiece is 'Overboda', a duet with Swedish folk singer Sofia HK, written for a friend's wedding. 'It's a true love song,' Matsson says. In February 2027 he tours Europe, with shows in Berlin (Feb 6, Passionskirche), Munich (Feb 18, Muffathalle) and Vienna (Feb 19).