Henrik Meierkord is a cellist, artist and composer from Helsingborg, Sweden who currently lives in Stockholm. He returns to Whitelabrecs following his ‘Cello Improvisations’ EP (2023) and the collaborative album ‘Inseln’ with Logic Moon (2022). He has also previously released music on labels such as Ambientologist, Audiobulb, Projekt records, Ella ruth Institutet and Subcontinental Records. Henrik began playing cello aged of 12, progressing to play in classical orchestras, onto performing in bands and then creating his own music. He has also collaborated and performed for artists such as Ossler, Pawel Kobak, Marco Lucchi, Meipr, Sole and Strulgattu.

Typically Henrik’s approach to composition tends to begin with the cello, before further layers of strings are added, such as double bass or violin. But often, he will create music intuitively and free from set rules; sometimes a piece of music can be started with a synthesiser or piano, or written purely as an experiment. In this album entitled ‘Proscenium’, Henrik gathered a collection of instinctive compositions, inspired by nostalgia and a longing for a different world. Fragile piano, emotive strings and earthy cello weave out dream-like sequences, expressing hard-to-recall bitter-sweet experiences.

The album was recorded in Henrik’s Soundbread studio in Stockholm, including a West German cello from the seventies, a double bass and a violin belonging to his son. Whilst over a long period of time he’d gathered together numerous pieces of music, there is a thematic vibe present within these chosen tracks. ‘Proscenium’ is the view the audience have when watching an Ancient Greek theatre performance, or indeed the location from which the actors carry out their performance. Henrik felt drawn to a loose theme of Ancient Greek theatrical culture for the concept, and the artwork and track titles give listeners something in which to meditate, or a scene in which to place themselves if they wish. There is however no specific play or plot in mind. It could in fact be numerous stories collected together as many overlapping emotions, played back all at once, as if recalling centuries of moments emitted from a theatre stage.