Johan Björklund

Check out this new and mindblowing formation! Death metal/Impro/Alternative Rock/African traditional drumming and beyond!

Tobias Kellgren – drums (Dissection, The Whispering, Vex Mortem, Decameron etc)

Johan Björklund – drums (Thymeshift, Dynamic Flavors, MIRE III etc)

Emil Blommé – drums (Kristina Issa, Backateatern etc)

Ebba Westerberg – drums (Corpo, Linchpin, Göteborgs Alternativa Orkester etc)

”Wouldn’t it have been easier if you played the harmonica/flute/any other small instrument?”
A question I’ve been asked so many times since I started playing drums at the age of 12. I’ve always laughed a little to be kind and humble but also thought of various different answers that never crossed my lips. ”Easier perhaps but drums are about 100 times cooler” is one of the possible ones that I’ve never said. But the truth is that after almost 40 years of practice I’m still amazed by the expressive possibilities, sounds, variations and dynamics (from whisper to thunder) that exists in this/these instruments! The choice is and has always been obvious.

It has also always been an exciting and inspiring experience the times I’ve played together with other drummers/percussionists over the years as completely new possibilities open up. Often it is a question of working together with ONE additional drummer/percussionist so in this project I want to take this a few steps further by working solely with a larger group of musicians who play drums/percussion in a unique orchestra.
”How can less be more? More is more!!!”

Johan Björklund – founder and fearless risktaker of this project.

Stay tuned, this will be heard and seen in the near future!

Thanx to Wilhelm and Martina Lundgrens Foundation for financial support!

Photo Tobias: Elsa Wellamo
Photo Johan & Ebba: Thomas Gunillasson
Photo Emil: Mostafa Ahmad

In March 2026 a new Swedish-Norwegian collaboration will see the light of day when Andre Kassen (NO) join forces with Johan Björklund (SE), Ebba Westerberg (SE) and Thomas Markusson (SE) for a first gig at Nya Perspektiv (Slottsgatan 19) in Västerås, Sweden. 28 March 19.00

Björklund/Kassen Brainworks is a new Norwegian-Swedish collaboration initiated by Johan Björklund (SE) and André Kassen (NO). After crossing paths in different musical contexts for more than ten years, they have now joined forces in this innovative band together with Thomas Markusson (SE) and Ebba Westerberg (SE).

The music is bold, fresh and free – without chord instruments, built on rhythmic structures that move between the complex and the open. The group explores the borderland between composed and improvised in a unique sound where each member contributes original music.
The result is something both beautiful, powerful and surprising – a playful and thought-provoking musical encounter.

Johan Björklund – drums
Andrè Kassen – saxophone
Ebba Westerberg – percussion
Thomas Markusson – bass, electronics

During the fall 2025 guitar extraordinaire Carl Svensson has put together a new band consisting om me on drums and bassplayer Max Thornberg. After several fruitful rehearsals in my studio some great sounding music soon will be ready to meet an audience!
Stay tuned!
Photo: Thomas Gunillasson

Thymeshift United proudly presents 3 songs from our session in September 2022 at Bunkern, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Filmed and edited by Joona Toivanen.
Audio recorded and mixed by Kristofer Göransson

MUSICIANS:
Johan Björklund – drums
John Lönnmyr – keyboards
Anne Marte Eggen – bass
Anders Augustsson – guitar
Mats Eriksson – guitar
Thomas Gunillasson – guitar
Thomas Backman – saxophone
Lisen Rylander Löve – saxophone
Karolina Almgren – saxophone

Johan is currently twisting knobs, pressing keys and banging on drums in Studio Eternal Darkness. This will evolve into a new solo record coming in 2026.
Stay tuned!