Following the international success of her debut album Karthago, Stockholm-based Italian bassist and composer Ilaria Capalboannounces her most personal work to date. Her new album, The Brightest Sun, is set for release worldwide on June 12, 2026on Swedish indipendent label Bluenord Records.

Inspired by the deeply transformative experience of motherhood, The Brightest Sun marks a stylistic and evolutionary shift for Capalbo. While rooted in the ”visionary and architectonic” (Lira) bass playing that defines her sound, the new music has an experimental quality, weaving in influences from rock, free impro and indie music. It earnestly narrates the process of creationitself, moving fluidly between moments of raw energy as well as profound stillness. It is, in the artist’s words, as close to the source as can be.

“This album is a reflection on the radical shifts in identity and perspective that come when bringing new life into the world,” says Capalbo. “I wanted the music to feel immediate, with a sense of urgency about itself. I did not edit much and tried to keep the material as raw as possible. I composed the music in fragmented sessions while I was expecting or my child was very young, with radically different processes than those I employed for my previous works. Voice memos, sketches and post-it notes, all went into the making of this music. I wanted it to convey the vulnerability of a delicate and suspended time, which I remember as a landscape at the same time fractured and soaring.”

To bring her vision to life, Capalbo joins forces with a delicately orchestrated cast of musicians, each one a unique voice on the Swedish and international scene:

• Thomas Backman (alto sax, clarinets)
• Fredrik Nordström (tenor sax)
• Andreas Hourdakis (guitar)
• Henrik Jäderberg (drums)
• Ilaria Capalbo (double bass, electric bass, and compositions)

The album’s sound is anchored by Capalbo’s evocative compositions and her summoning bass, the northern star of the ensemble. Her playing is counterpointed by Hourdakis’ iridescent guitar. The piercing, expressive sound of Nordströmcompliments Backman’s fiery energy. Jäderberg’s imaginative playing lays the bedrock for the band.

The quintet’s chemistry was recently showcased at jazzahead! 2025. The band was selected for the prestigious European Showcases, performing to a capacity crowd at Kulturzentrum Schlachthof.

A release tour for The Brightest Sun in ongoing now, with confirmed dates in Scandinavia and Europe in the spring, summer and fall. 

The band has since their debut in 2022 been touring extensively, performing at clubs and festivals all over Europe such as JazzBaltica (DE), Stockholm Jazz Festival (SE), Roma Jazz Festival (IT), La Grande Notte del Jazz (IT), Bray Jazz Festival (IRE), Kalott Jazz (FI), Vetrar Jazz (FAE) and many more. 

The Brightest Sun will be available on all major streaming platforms and Bandcamp on June 12, 2026. The album will be preceded by two singles, set for release in April and May.

About Ilaria Capalbo: Ilaria Capalbo is an Italian (born in Naples), Stockholm-based bassist and composer known for her ability to move seamlessly between genres. Her 2022 debut, Karthago, received rave reviews from press in Europe and overseas, establishing her as a unique personality on the contemporary jazz scene. A storyteller at heart, her work extends tocontemporary dance and installation performance, driven by a deep commitment to emotionally attuned composition.