Inside Above and Beyond sees Byorn Gold continuing to blur the line between autobiography and shared experience, crafting songs that, while rooted in personal moments and private reflections, are also universally relatable. As with previous releases, this latest collection unfolds as an album in three distinct movements — a triptych of four-track EPs, each carrying its own thematic identity while feeding into a broader emotional and narrative arc.
As the album title’s byline suggests, this is the deliberate successor to Borderlines (Stories Part 1), with the same emphasis on the narrative. But not just storytelling, as these are not merely tales told for the sake of it; they are snapshots of lives lived, recalled memories, roads traveled, real and metaphorical, and emotions revisited. Yet the cleverness lies in the fact that the listener never feels like an outsider eavesdropping on somebody else’s thoughts and confessions. Instead, the songs feel, if not a shared experience, certainly a relatable one, creating an unspoken bond between artist and audience.
The opening quartet immediately showcases Gold’s eclecticism and imaginative pursuit, his ability to travel far and wide across the musical landscape to find the perfect sound for his stories. And if “Who’s Coming to See Me” leans into infectious contemporary pop-rock territory, by contrast, “Facing the Gaelic Devil” taps into something far older and more timeless, drawing on folk traditions and narrative weight in a way that feels both intimate and mythic. Then there is “What Will We Do,” a song carried on hushed romance and emotional restraint, proving that subtlety can often speak louder than grand gestures.
Most people who reference Tolkien would choose to write songs about epic quests and mythical beasts, favoring his work rather than the man himself, but the Lord of the Rings author’s own life is as inspirational as his work is imaginative. Gold takes his life story for the song “Become What Only You Can,” a song built on a strong dynamic, ebbing and flowing between understatement and sonic crescendo to deliver the idea that it is pointless trying to emulate others, and that you are the only person equipped to be you, so be the best version that you can be.
And if those songs look inward for their themes, the next four look up, not just physically but also to those we regard as of a heroic nature. In fact, the first, “Impossible Flight,” does both, encapsulating the story of the Wright Brothers in an anthemic, neo-classical slice of pop-prog. “Fly Yourself Home” lilts along with the echo of island vibes, the story of a member of an airline’s cabin crew finally getting to return home, again, perhaps a metaphor for those who finally get what they have worked hard for.
There is a sliver of gritty defiance and destiny driving “That’s Who I Am (Whatever it Takes)” along, a bluesy rocker of personal affirmation and “See You all in Heaven” is a sweeping pop waltz, and one inspired by Mitch Albom modern classic The Five People You Meet in Heaven, both book and song perhaps a reminder to show your gratitude to those who improve your lives whilst you can. It is also the perfect transitional song to the last section of the album, Beyond, which transcends the time and space that contain the first two EPs.
But the ‘beyond’ here can be interpreted more broadly. “Diamond in the Dark” balances a dramatic soundscape, one of piano that runs from the resonant to the relaxed, serene strings and classical crescendoes with a tale of kindness. “How Many Times Have We Met” muses on the idea of chance encounters and star-crossed lovers, its subtle serenades moving into almost Buddhist thought.
“When You Wake Up” is a song poised on a knife-edge of possibilities, one which might end in loss or redemption, happiness or loneliness, a deft piano piece that wouldn’t feel out of place in the hands of the likes of Elton John, and “White Canvas” is a deft and balladic full stop, the last story in this incredible storybook. This final footnote also indicates that Byorn Gold is indeed setting sail for his next album, which will travel the world musically, often by boat.
Byorn Gold is definitely a great musician, arranger, and song crafter, but he is first and foremost a storyteller, and a great one at that.