For Swedish trumpeter Erik Palmberg and his quartet, the road has been both a proving ground and a playground. Since the release of their acclaimed 2021 album In Between, which topped Orkesterjournalen’s reader’s poll as Sweden’s jazz album of the year, the group has been refining their chemistry onstage and off. That electric interplay, nurtured through countless gigs and late-night conversations, pulses through every note of their latest album, Faces.

Palmberg’s vision for Faces took shape the moment their last tour wrapped. Weeks of performing and dissecting music with his bandmates sparked a fresh wave of inspiration, leading to new compositions that tap into a heightened awareness of each musician’s unique voice. “This album is all about expression and creating a musical environment where we all can shine, both individually and as a group,” Palmberg explains. The result is a record that thrives on interplay, allowing each member to contribute not just as a player, but as a co-architect of sound.

The quartet - Palmberg on trumpet and flugelhorn, Anton Dromberg on piano, Niklas Wennström on double bass, and Sebastian Voegler on drums - have been playing together since 2018, developing an almost telepathic connection. That deep rapport fuels Faces, an album that feels equal parts meticulous and spontaneous. Whether navigating Palmberg’s originals or reinterpreting jazz standards like Victor Schertzinger’s “I Remember You” and Alec Wilder’s “Moon And Sand,” the quartet deliver performances brimming with nuance and emotion. Their arranging process was just as organic as their improvisation, with ideas exchanged freely, reshaped collectively, and refined in real time. “We’ve found a way of arranging music together that’s both effective and deeply creative,” Palmberg notes. “It’s a process that has evolved over the years, engaging all of us in shaping the final sound.”

Even in its quieter stretches, the music never loses its sense of movement - improvisation and composition intertwining to create a dynamic, ever-shifting landscape. There’s an effortless quality to the album, a testament to years spent honing not just their technical skills, but their ability to listen, respond, and elevate each other’s playing. Palmberg’s compositions on Faces carry a melodic richness that lingers, but just as crucial is the band’s ability to inhabit the material, shaping it into something living and breathing. The album is much more than a showcase for Palmberg’s expressive trumpet work; it’s a celebration of a quartet in sync while exploring the possibilities of their collective sound.