OUT NOW
CHIASMUS
An equally gripping and convincing debut that sets the bar frighteninly high for the future
/Patrik Lindgren, LIRA Music Magazine
"Reaches beyond what I am able to capture in words. [...] a very captivating and successfully realized project."
/Kulturbloggen
"An equally gripping and convincing debut that sets the bar frighteningly high for the future."
/LIRA Music Magazine
"Chiasmus carries a Jan Johanssonesque restraint. A kind of Nordic clarity (think E.S.T.)."
/Borås Tidning
"A unique cornerstone upon which he can build much in the years to come."
/Nettavisen
"August Björn demonstrates his ability to command the listener's undivided attention — without resorting to heavy-handed effects [...] an ambitious and richly contrasting record to return to again and again."
/Orkesterjournalen
An album about dreams, loss, and rediscovery
THE STORY BEHIND CHIASMUS
In early 2016, my former trio Curly Camel and I were preparing to record our second album. The band had really begun to take off, and it felt as if we were standing at the threshold of our dreams.
Three months before the recording session, everything shifted. I injured my hands, and it was as if someone pulled the rug from under my feet. My doctor told me it was likely I would never play piano again and suggested I consider another occupation.
For years I tried every treatment possible, but when nothing seemed to help, it began to wear on me mentally. Since childhood, the piano had been my way of expressing myself and making sense of my emotions — losing that felt like losing a part of who I was.
Eventually, it became necessary to pause my studies at the music academy, as I could no longer play or write without pain. Rather than stepping away from learning altogether, I decided early on that the injury wouldn’t stop me from continuing to develop. I began reading voraciously — music theory, art history, poetry, mythology — deepening my understanding of how stories are shaped and how that could guide me as an improviser and composer.
It was somewhere during that period where I stumbled upon the deeply fascinating book Thinking In Circles, by social anthropologist Mary Douglas. The book explores ring composition, an ancient narrative structure built on symmetry, return, and repetition. Instead of traveling in a straight line, the story moves in a circle of parallels — a chiastic structure where ideas are mirrored in reverse, expanding their meaning and creating a sense of transformation.
Douglas’ work opened up a new way of thinking and the metaphorical aspects of the ring structure resonated with me instantly — The inevitability of closure, the journey into the underworld in order to ascend to the light… It became a mirror for my own hopes and fears as I navigated the circumstances of my new reality. Soon, I began envisioning a new piece of music – a nine part circular work based on the concept of ring composition, planting the seed of what would become Chiasmus.
Three years after the injury, I finally found my way back to the piano. Thanks to the expert guidance of pianist and professor Inga-Britt Niemand, I was able to change piano technique and learn to play in a manner that was sustainable for my body.
In the autumn of 2019 I could resume my studies at the Academy of Music & Drama and in 2023 I graduated with a Master’s degree in Improvisation & World Music. I finished writing the music for Chiasmus that same year, and it felt as if I was closing the circle in more ways than one.
During my university studies I also met the three musicians who have become a core part of this album: Alicia Lázaro, Mischa Grind, and Jonas Nilsson. Their artistry has been a constant source of inspiration and their voices are woven deeply into the fabric of Chiasmus. Through the album-making process we have also become close friends and I’m forever grateful I got to record this very personal music together with them.
This album is a reflection of my journey back to music. It’s an album about dreams, despair, and believing what’s possible. It’s a story of transformation — of leaving what is safe to face the challenge of the unknown. And finally, it’s about coming home, and discovering yourself again.
August Björn
MEET THE BAND
Alicia Lázaro
For me Alicia is, in many ways, a dream collaborator. In addition to being an extraordinary vocalist, she’s also a trained classical pianist and a composer who’s work I admire greatly. The possibilities of artistic expression that Alicia has brought to this band has allowed me to go to completely new places when composing this music.
As a vocalist Alicia possesses a raw emotional power which is balanced by a supreme control over her instrument, resulting in a sound that is both deeply moving and highly versatile.
Mischa Grind
After having travelled the world and studied a wide range of drumming traditions, Mischa has created a sound that is uniquely his own. Being influenced by pop, jazz, and world music, Mischa has brought something very fresh and exciting to this album!
Another joy for me has been Mischa’s minute attention to detail and the care he puts in every decision. He really is an orchestrator of sound just as much as he is a percussionist and a drummer, always working to strengthen the inner drama of the music.
Jonas Nilsson
As a bass player, Jonas brings a raw punk energy combined with a virtuosic technique and an endless curiosity for new forms of expression.
When Jonas joined the band it was like something clicked and the energy of the band was bumped up two levels. Jonas just brings this intensity and heart to everything that he’s playing, making everyone perform even better.
Jonas is also the rare bass player that can move effortlessly between classical, jazz, and rock music, creating a range of expression not heard in many other players.