Today marks the release of ‘THINGS I COULD’VE LEFT BEHIND‘, the latest single from LA-based composer Jacob Olofsson, better known as Olovson, out now on his own label 1136 Diamond. After stepping back for two years, Olovson returns with this neoclassical piece that highlights his roots in contemporary classical music. Originally from Stockholm, Sweden, he started piano at seven and was composing originals by his teens, growing up in a family steeped in music. Now settled in Los Angeles, he’s built an impressive resume as a Grammy-winning, multi-platinum producer, collaborating with heavyweights like Frank Ocean, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson, Diplo, Silk City, and Camila Cabello.
His own work has racked up over 3 million streams, with his 2022 debut album Storytelling earning nods from outlets such as Wonderland Magazine, PopMatters, Creative Boom, CLASH Magazine, Rolling Stone India, METAL Magazine, NOTION Magazine, and Stereofox. Radio play came from stations like BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 6, NTS Radio, and Worldwide FM, while his track ‘Books Are Flying‘ featured in the SHOWTIME series The Man Who Fell to Earth. The video for ‘Gyroscope‘ (original) landed in official selections at BAFTA-qualifying events including Encounters Film Festival, London International Film Festival, and London Short Film Festival.
Olovson builds the single on his solid classical training, folding in neoclassical piano motifs alongside measured contemporary touches that recall Nils Frahm‘s spare textures and Chilly Gonzales‘s offbeat rhythms, even as it leans into a smoother fusion suggesting hints of James Blake or Blood Orange. He handles the full writing, production, and mix himself, slipping in his own hummed vocals that run through the form like a connecting thread, marking a turn in his style. On keys, he opts for a flexible touch, letting phrases carry a keen vitality with just a hint of rhythmic nudge, much like the straightforward feel of an after-hours practice. The main theme proceeds steadily, those vocal layers bolstering the harmonic weight while keeping everything lean and uncluttered, leaving behind a piece that holds its emotional grip well after it ends.
Olovson shared: “‘Things I Could’ve Left Behind’ started as a melody that had stuck with me for quite some time, and when I finally recorded it, I knew it was the starting block of the new project. I sing on this song, although only in wordless melodies, which felt like a bridge from the previous record into this new chapter. The song is about letting go of resentment carried for too long and making space for forgiveness and peace.“
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