Written almost immediately after the release of 2016's Breakin' Point, the band decided to strip away the noise and take it back to a simpler time where it was just the three of them, playing music together and releasing albums every other year. The 11 songs on Darker Days reflect this move, showcasing each member's unique songwriting style while sounding resolutely like a band that has played together for nearly 20 years. Darker Days got its start at Stockholm's Atlantis Studios where the band laid down basic tracks, agreed on the album title and then went off to finish the songs. The title was the starting point and became the central theme of the album, with each member bringing their interpretation into the studio and playing on each other's songs. Each member's take on darkness is distinctive, Peter tackling what's happening in the world right now, Bjorn delving into relationship issues and John, the most existential, exploring the shadows of our own psyche. Connected by the central theme and musicians, Darker Days is composed and simple. That goes for the cover art too which features three bones broken to make a complete triangle. Peter Morén, Björn Yttling and John Eriksson are three musicians with an undeniable chemistry that comes from nearly two decades of making music together and the trio create a sound that is intrinsically Peter Bjorn and John.
