Fire!

The Profile

Fire! is a Swedish trio formed in 2009 by Mats Gustafsson (saxophones), Johan Berthling (bass), and Andreas Werliin (drums). They fuse free jazz with a heavy, psychedelic rock edge, releasing on Rune Grammofon and collaborating with artists such as Oren Ambarchi and Jim O’Rourke.

Core lineup: Mats Gustafsson, Johan Berthling, Andreas Werliin; Swedish trio active since 2009; key releases on Rune Grammofon; collaborations include Jim O’Rourke and Oren Ambarchi.

Fire! are a Swedish trio (Mats Gustafsson, Johan Berthling, Andreas Werliin) operating at the crossroads of free jazz and experimental rock. Reviews here cover the explosive 2009 debut You Liked Me Five Minutes Ago, the claustrophobic She Sleeps, She Sleeps, and the heavy, genre-defying The Hands (Rune Grammofon). Their rhythm section is praised as spectacular, and the music’s immediacy is repeatedly noted. Collaborations include Oren Ambarchi and Jim O’Rourke.