This is an interesting debut, not just from a conceptual point of view, in that Lilja works with “carriers of music traditions from four corners of the world,” but also from the very practical consideration of pulling such an ambitious undertaking off. From the conceptual point of view, Sara Marielle Gaup represents the Sápmi tradition (from the northern part of Scandinavian peninsula), Celio de Carvalho is from Brazil, Zakaria Houaoura from Morocco and Ashrat Sharif Khan from Pakistan.

While there are moments that drift further and further away from most people's conception of jazz, Lilja will suddenly step in and correct the course by pulling everything together with a few well chosen riffs and an ear catching solo. Yet this is not a fusion between two cultures as each musical influence – be it Pakistani, Moroccan, Brazilian or Sámpi – sees Lilja working within that context, a part of, yet remaining herself, fluently injecting a jazz solo within an ethnic context without artifice or incongruity.

As the upside down cover photo suggests, things are not always what they seem – she's a special talent who lets you know she can really play without saying too much.