Jag är inte rädd för mörkret (Swedish for I Am Not Afraid of the Dark) is ärinteräddförmöthe tenth studio album by Swedish alternative rock band Kent. It was released on 25 April 2012 by Sonet Records (Universal Music) and it was the band's debut release with the label since their departure from Sony Music in June 2011. The album was preceded by the lead single "999" on 28 March 2012.

Promotion

On 20 April 2012, the band posted four codes on their Twitter account that could be used to find four songs ("Tänd på", "Isis & Bast", "Jag ser dig" and "Petroleum") from the upcoming album on Spotify. The day before the album was released, Kent held a large press conference in Stockholm.

Jag är inte rädd för mörkret

Critical reception

Anders Nunstedt of Expressen wrote: "There are no style changes here like Du och jag döden or Röd. The production is straight and uncomplicated, and the arrangements have a less electronic touch than that heard on the band's last three albums. [...] Kent has written some of their finest melodies, yet the great attraction lies in the lyrics. [...] The new songs often find a masterful harmony between heart and pain."

Jag är inte rädd för mörkret

Markus Larsson of Aftonbladet wrote: "But Kent has definitely made records with a more urgent character and clearer identity. For the first time in a long time, I miss more things than I get. Like the brilliant friction between the safe radio hits and the anxiety on Vapen & ammunition. Like the magnificent darkness on Du & jag döden, an album that the band members today call "a giant hangover". Like the evocative anger on Röd or a fantastic song like 'Columbus'. It was music from a band with a lot of passion. While Jag är inte rädd för mörkret is an album that a band perhaps mostly releases because they can."

Jag är inte rädd för mörkret

Commercial performance

Jag är inte rädd för mörkret debuted at number one in Sweden, becoming Kent's ninth consecutive number-one album. In Denmark, the album debuted at number two with first-week sales of 1444 copies. It is their highest-charting album there since Du & jag döden, which debuted at number two in 2005. The album debuted at number five in Finland, becoming the band's lowest-charting album since Hagnesta Hill, which peaked at number six in 2000. In Norway, Jag är inte rädd för mörkret debuted at number one, becoming Kent's first number-one album there since 2005's Du & jag döden.

Track listing

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Jag är inte rädd för mörkret.

Kent

Kent – music on track 1, 10

Joakim Berg – music, lyrics, vocals, guitar

Martin Sköld – music on track 2, 5, 6, 9, bass, keyboards

Sami Sirviö – guitar, keyboards

Markus Mustonen – drums, backing vocals, keyboards, piano

Additional musicians

Petra Marklund – backing vocals on track 3

Technical

Kent – producer, recording

Stefan Boman – producer, recording, mixing on track 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Niklas Flyckt – mixing on track 1, 3, 4, 5

Anders Pantzer – mixing assistant

Martin Brengesjö – instrument technician

Damien Arlot – recording assistant

Thomas Lefebvre – recording assistant

Stephen Marcussen – mastering

Artwork

Thomas Ökvist – design

Helen Svensson – design

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Certifications

References

2012 albums

Kent (band) albums

Swedish-language albums

Pop rock albums by Swedish artists