ChaosResolved
06-15-2006, 09:57 PM
Tracking the Trends
Delightful Danes
The question of the day is can you name five bands from Denmark? Those not native to the country might find this a difficult task. However, today is your lucky day, as Tracking the Trends ventures deep into the country to seek out its best and brightest acts. We bring forth Efterklang, Under Byen, Mew, The Seven Mile Journey, and Windermere.
Efterklang
Copenhagen
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/efterklang.jpg
Website: Efterklang (http://www.efterklang.net/)
Music: Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/efterklang)
It is probable that Efterklang (Danish for "reverberation") is the best band you're not listening to. With two releases under its belt, 2003's Springer and 2004's Tripper (both via The Leaf Label), Efterklang is a unique artist in this day and age. Perhaps this explains why the band has not received more international acclaim, but with a knack for slow, brooding songs and a wonderful adaptation of male/female vocals into a post-rock framework, there is really little to dislike about Efterklang.The core group consists of five members that expands to an octet for the live performance as it picks up a violinist, a trombone player, and a visual artist. Efterklang's core sound relies heavily on subtle, yet glitchy electronics and minimalist piano bars. A slice of "rock" is added in the form of guitars and drum, which give the music a dash of force, often providing means of transportation between moments of tranquility and dense clouds of cathartic vocal-backed epiphanies. Riding in on the peripheries, the violin and horn straddle the auxiliary and add to the momentous sound, which by intricately placed and controlled layers becomes increasingly moving and touching. One last ingredient pushes Efterklang over the top -- vocals, the range of which start at quiet, hushed whispers to forceful choral engagements. Tripper is really some sort of peek into a futuristic dreamworld. Complex compositions really engage the listener's mind, and the variety of sounds and instrumentation employed are a feast for the ears while a constant vocal presence anchors the album in a way which is absence from most releases of its ilk. Many times throughout the course of Tripper Efterklang reaches a zenith and contemplates the transcendence into the heavens which is often seen on the work of Sigur Ros; there's a brief hesitation, a moment or two waiting for the string quartet or horn section to come barreling in onstage, but then it's gone and Efterklang manages to keep it all organic. The organic component doesn't make the music any less fragile, which presents itself as frail and timid, yet altogether breathtaking. Although this album is nearly reaching two years of age, it's one I consistently find myself listening to on a regular basis.
As far as recommendations go, Efterklang are likely to draw comparisons from bands such as Sigur Ros, Under Byen (see below), and Mum, but also the likes of Philip Glass and Max Richter. Currently Efterklang is working on its third release in Denmark. If the band is being as meticulous as it was in the creation of Tripper, don't expect it to see the light of day until 2007, but it should be well worth the wait. In the meantime, the band is scheduled to release a one-sided LP on Burnt Toast Vinyl later this year.
Under Byen
Aarhus
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/underbyen.jpg
Website: Under Byen (http://www.underbyen.dk/)
Music: Myspace (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=47795897)
With eight members and no guitar players,Under Byen (danish for "Below the City") is a unique experience. Instead of utilizing the normal modes of instrumentation, the band engages the listener via violin, cello, piano, saw, lap steel, bass clarinet, accordion, harmonica, and anything else it can get its hands on to accompany the drum and bass backbone. Guitars are sparingly used, but mainly for the attached pedal and not for any sort of rhythmic influence as one might expect. Meanwhile, Henriette Sennenvaldt, the band's singer/poet, holds the rest of the band's sound together with her haunting, piercing vocals. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. Under Byen released its third album Samme Stof Som Stof ("Same Fabric as Fabric") in early 2006, which quickly picked up heavy critical acclaim. The overall tone of the album is largely avant-garde and experimental, yet at the same time it is a bit cinematic–not your everyday combination of artistic expressions. This formula is often a tip to introduce the Sigur Ros/Bjork comparison, but the band proclaims to be more influenced by nature and the outside world than other music and artists. I can't completely say that this music is "nature-oriented", but I can attest to the band's brilliance and refreshing sounds. Samme Stof Some Stof is an ever changing piece of art. It always offers something different to the listener, and each listen is as unique as the first. I don't know if that's a phenomenon you can put a price on, but I've been listening to this album for the better part of half a year and every time I listen to it I feel like it is a brand new experience. Additionally, you can rest assured that the band's previous material is no less brilliant than Samme Stof Som Stof. Finding new bands with a vast back catalogue is always a joy for me, and Under Byen is clearly at the head of the pack these days in terms of creativity.
Under Byen is often recommended for fans of Sigur Ros and Bjork, a fair comparison, but I must suggest fans of Kayo Dot immediately give this band some attention. The band's avant-garde tendencies and poetic prose are too good to resist and immediately bring up comparisons of Boston's avant-metal group minus the guitars and metal influence (and plus some Danish vocals!), as well as the brainy instrumental act Theta Naught, who share an interest in the lap steel. Samme Stof Some Stof is one of the best releases of 2006, and it would be a crime to let the year pass without indulging in this treat.
Mew
Hellerup
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/mew.jpg
Website: Mew (http://www.mewsite.com)
Music: Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/mew)
At Caspian (http://www.myspace.com/caspiantheband)’s tour opener in NYC last spring I ended up chatting with one of the supporting musicians for one of the opening acts, Katrine Ottosen (http://www.katrineottosen.com/), a Danish singer-songwriter. We got around to chatting about Danish bands, and not after long we were discussing Efterklang and Mew, two Danish bands that musicians in the country really look up to for inspiration. Mew is really a no-brainer. This indie-rock band concocts that perfect blend of experimental rock music that can be likened to the works of dredg, Codeseven, Klimt 1918, and Clann Zu. And the Glass Handed Kites, the band's forth album, received various acclaim and thought by some to be one of 2005's stronger albums. Busting out of the gates with the edgy "Circuitry of the Wolf", And the Glass Handed Kites pay no heed about forms and labels and quickly navigates through various sounds and presentations. "Cinaberry Tree" looks backwards and has a retro sound filled with sythns and heavy atmosphere. "Apocalypso" volleys the serve with a biting edge, showing a spectacular display of guitar work and an deceptively aggressive aftertaste. After that the hits just keep on coming -- "Zookeeper's Boy", "Saviours of Jazz Ballet", "White Lips Kissed"...where does it end!? Answer: it doesn't; And the Glass Handed Kites must be Danish for "sex," because it really doesn't get any better than this.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and proclaim Mew one of the best indie-rock bands on the planet. I guess for some that title might be bestowed upon someone like Radiohead, Muse, Death Cab for Cutie, or some other "notable", but Mew is above and beyond those bands in style and vision and have the history to support it. Indeed, this is a very exciting time for US fans of Mew, because they are currently playing in the US for the time in support of Bloc Party. This is a show you can't miss. And no, you don't have to stay for Bloc Party.
The Seven Mile Journey
Aalborg
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/sevenmile.jpg
Website: The Seven Mile Journey (http://www.thesevenmilejourney.dk/)
Music: Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/thesevenmilejourney)
The Journey Studies is quite the oddity of a post rock album. Time and again The Seven Mile Journey slowly build up to the point of unbearable tension, but they never actually breach that point and submit the listener to a cathartic guitar driven assault. All the signs are there -- quickening drum beats and surmounting pressure from the bass and guitars, but the band just doesn't execute the quiet/loud plan like expected. It's quite the conundrum, as critics either fault them for leaving the listener on the edge of a cliff or categorize them as cliche if they do finally deliver. But, The Seven Mile Journey readily deflates and inflates, taking on long inclines and steep declines seemingly without worrying about the nay-sayers. Clearly this band is more interested with the journey, and The Journey Studies could be interpreted as just that -- an exercise in movement in the instrumental frame. "Passenger's Log, The Unity Fractions" and "The Murder Victims Monologue" contains some really beautiful passes created only with the traditional setup of guitars, bass, and drums. The Seven Mile Journey is a humble band, not offering a lot of sound or over saturating the sonic landscape with unnecessary ornamentation, but at the same time it avoids being minimalist and boring. In this light, we may compare them to artists such as Tula Drone, Gregor Samsa, and perhaps the lighter works of Mogwai.
The Seven Mile Journey took its time between the band's 2001 demo, and its debut album five years later. As a result, I believe that band has really honed in on its sound and are fully aware of its identify among the sea of instrumental and post-rock acts in the world today. Now all that is left is to harness the talent the band possesses and return with a stellar sophomore release that silences the critics. In the meantime, this Danish quartet comes up strong in its debut album, and hopefully we'll be seeing more from them in the future.
Windermere
Copenhagen
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/windermere.jpg
Website: Windermere (http://www.windermere.dk/)
Music: All Music (http://www.myspace.com/windermere)
We top off the list with one of Denmark's finest shoegazing bands. Windermere hasn't received much press in the US -- in fact, I've seen no mention of it whatsoever, but the band's sound is sharp enough for our critical ears. The World is Here is a spacey, soothing album with soaring guitars, broad ambiance, and enough pedal effects to make any listener content. Splashes of keyboards and sequencing are thrown in on occasion, but ultimately this is largely a guitar-driven album polished off with ambiance and placid vocals. Windermere sets the album off to a good start with "Trailer Park", a long song that builds slowly and winds itself around ethereal passages. After "Watch the Stars", we're treated to "Your Eyes Could Start a Fire", a track that begins with an icy demeanor, but slowly thaws itself with a intense ambient wave of energy. The next four songs feature an array of compositions, but the overall tone maintains a consistent feeling of isolation and longing. Throughout The World is Here, there's not much to uplift the spirits or provide hope during darker times, but it sure does make it easy to get lost is a web of despair and muddle in the more self-absorbing thoughts that plague the mind. This isn't exactly a human response that Windermere provides; rather, this quartet performs quite the mind trip to unsuspecting listeners who thought they were just in for a good space rock voyage.
Although the execution on The World is Here is quite satisfactory, the listener always remains very detached from the music itself. Windermere is currently recording its sophomore album, and I'm one to hope that they inject the music with a bit more energy and emotion to give it a more humanistic quality and distance itself from the cold, unforgiving done of its debut album. Ideally this gives fans of the band something to look forward to.
~Jordan Volz
~~~~~~~~~~
Tracking the Trends:
The Italian Embrace:
(Part I) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12135).
Japan: After the J-Pop:
(Part I) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=11581) (Part II) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=13064).
US Instrumental Rock :
(Part 0) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3348)(Part I) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=8023) (Part II) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=8355) (Part III) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=8953) (Part IV) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=10507).
Experimental British Rock:
(Part I) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5080) (Part II) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5512) (Part III) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6377) (Part IV) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=10879).
Swedish Post Rock:
(Part I) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4442).
Australian Underdogs:
(Part I) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4257).
Top 50 Instrumental Albums of 2005:
(1-10) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6772) (11-20) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6773) (21-30) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6774) (31-40) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6775) (41-50) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6776).
Delightful Danes
The question of the day is can you name five bands from Denmark? Those not native to the country might find this a difficult task. However, today is your lucky day, as Tracking the Trends ventures deep into the country to seek out its best and brightest acts. We bring forth Efterklang, Under Byen, Mew, The Seven Mile Journey, and Windermere.
Efterklang
Copenhagen
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/efterklang.jpg
Website: Efterklang (http://www.efterklang.net/)
Music: Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/efterklang)
It is probable that Efterklang (Danish for "reverberation") is the best band you're not listening to. With two releases under its belt, 2003's Springer and 2004's Tripper (both via The Leaf Label), Efterklang is a unique artist in this day and age. Perhaps this explains why the band has not received more international acclaim, but with a knack for slow, brooding songs and a wonderful adaptation of male/female vocals into a post-rock framework, there is really little to dislike about Efterklang.The core group consists of five members that expands to an octet for the live performance as it picks up a violinist, a trombone player, and a visual artist. Efterklang's core sound relies heavily on subtle, yet glitchy electronics and minimalist piano bars. A slice of "rock" is added in the form of guitars and drum, which give the music a dash of force, often providing means of transportation between moments of tranquility and dense clouds of cathartic vocal-backed epiphanies. Riding in on the peripheries, the violin and horn straddle the auxiliary and add to the momentous sound, which by intricately placed and controlled layers becomes increasingly moving and touching. One last ingredient pushes Efterklang over the top -- vocals, the range of which start at quiet, hushed whispers to forceful choral engagements. Tripper is really some sort of peek into a futuristic dreamworld. Complex compositions really engage the listener's mind, and the variety of sounds and instrumentation employed are a feast for the ears while a constant vocal presence anchors the album in a way which is absence from most releases of its ilk. Many times throughout the course of Tripper Efterklang reaches a zenith and contemplates the transcendence into the heavens which is often seen on the work of Sigur Ros; there's a brief hesitation, a moment or two waiting for the string quartet or horn section to come barreling in onstage, but then it's gone and Efterklang manages to keep it all organic. The organic component doesn't make the music any less fragile, which presents itself as frail and timid, yet altogether breathtaking. Although this album is nearly reaching two years of age, it's one I consistently find myself listening to on a regular basis.
As far as recommendations go, Efterklang are likely to draw comparisons from bands such as Sigur Ros, Under Byen (see below), and Mum, but also the likes of Philip Glass and Max Richter. Currently Efterklang is working on its third release in Denmark. If the band is being as meticulous as it was in the creation of Tripper, don't expect it to see the light of day until 2007, but it should be well worth the wait. In the meantime, the band is scheduled to release a one-sided LP on Burnt Toast Vinyl later this year.
Under Byen
Aarhus
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/underbyen.jpg
Website: Under Byen (http://www.underbyen.dk/)
Music: Myspace (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=47795897)
With eight members and no guitar players,Under Byen (danish for "Below the City") is a unique experience. Instead of utilizing the normal modes of instrumentation, the band engages the listener via violin, cello, piano, saw, lap steel, bass clarinet, accordion, harmonica, and anything else it can get its hands on to accompany the drum and bass backbone. Guitars are sparingly used, but mainly for the attached pedal and not for any sort of rhythmic influence as one might expect. Meanwhile, Henriette Sennenvaldt, the band's singer/poet, holds the rest of the band's sound together with her haunting, piercing vocals. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. Under Byen released its third album Samme Stof Som Stof ("Same Fabric as Fabric") in early 2006, which quickly picked up heavy critical acclaim. The overall tone of the album is largely avant-garde and experimental, yet at the same time it is a bit cinematic–not your everyday combination of artistic expressions. This formula is often a tip to introduce the Sigur Ros/Bjork comparison, but the band proclaims to be more influenced by nature and the outside world than other music and artists. I can't completely say that this music is "nature-oriented", but I can attest to the band's brilliance and refreshing sounds. Samme Stof Some Stof is an ever changing piece of art. It always offers something different to the listener, and each listen is as unique as the first. I don't know if that's a phenomenon you can put a price on, but I've been listening to this album for the better part of half a year and every time I listen to it I feel like it is a brand new experience. Additionally, you can rest assured that the band's previous material is no less brilliant than Samme Stof Som Stof. Finding new bands with a vast back catalogue is always a joy for me, and Under Byen is clearly at the head of the pack these days in terms of creativity.
Under Byen is often recommended for fans of Sigur Ros and Bjork, a fair comparison, but I must suggest fans of Kayo Dot immediately give this band some attention. The band's avant-garde tendencies and poetic prose are too good to resist and immediately bring up comparisons of Boston's avant-metal group minus the guitars and metal influence (and plus some Danish vocals!), as well as the brainy instrumental act Theta Naught, who share an interest in the lap steel. Samme Stof Some Stof is one of the best releases of 2006, and it would be a crime to let the year pass without indulging in this treat.
Mew
Hellerup
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/mew.jpg
Website: Mew (http://www.mewsite.com)
Music: Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/mew)
At Caspian (http://www.myspace.com/caspiantheband)’s tour opener in NYC last spring I ended up chatting with one of the supporting musicians for one of the opening acts, Katrine Ottosen (http://www.katrineottosen.com/), a Danish singer-songwriter. We got around to chatting about Danish bands, and not after long we were discussing Efterklang and Mew, two Danish bands that musicians in the country really look up to for inspiration. Mew is really a no-brainer. This indie-rock band concocts that perfect blend of experimental rock music that can be likened to the works of dredg, Codeseven, Klimt 1918, and Clann Zu. And the Glass Handed Kites, the band's forth album, received various acclaim and thought by some to be one of 2005's stronger albums. Busting out of the gates with the edgy "Circuitry of the Wolf", And the Glass Handed Kites pay no heed about forms and labels and quickly navigates through various sounds and presentations. "Cinaberry Tree" looks backwards and has a retro sound filled with sythns and heavy atmosphere. "Apocalypso" volleys the serve with a biting edge, showing a spectacular display of guitar work and an deceptively aggressive aftertaste. After that the hits just keep on coming -- "Zookeeper's Boy", "Saviours of Jazz Ballet", "White Lips Kissed"...where does it end!? Answer: it doesn't; And the Glass Handed Kites must be Danish for "sex," because it really doesn't get any better than this.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and proclaim Mew one of the best indie-rock bands on the planet. I guess for some that title might be bestowed upon someone like Radiohead, Muse, Death Cab for Cutie, or some other "notable", but Mew is above and beyond those bands in style and vision and have the history to support it. Indeed, this is a very exciting time for US fans of Mew, because they are currently playing in the US for the time in support of Bloc Party. This is a show you can't miss. And no, you don't have to stay for Bloc Party.
The Seven Mile Journey
Aalborg
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/sevenmile.jpg
Website: The Seven Mile Journey (http://www.thesevenmilejourney.dk/)
Music: Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/thesevenmilejourney)
The Journey Studies is quite the oddity of a post rock album. Time and again The Seven Mile Journey slowly build up to the point of unbearable tension, but they never actually breach that point and submit the listener to a cathartic guitar driven assault. All the signs are there -- quickening drum beats and surmounting pressure from the bass and guitars, but the band just doesn't execute the quiet/loud plan like expected. It's quite the conundrum, as critics either fault them for leaving the listener on the edge of a cliff or categorize them as cliche if they do finally deliver. But, The Seven Mile Journey readily deflates and inflates, taking on long inclines and steep declines seemingly without worrying about the nay-sayers. Clearly this band is more interested with the journey, and The Journey Studies could be interpreted as just that -- an exercise in movement in the instrumental frame. "Passenger's Log, The Unity Fractions" and "The Murder Victims Monologue" contains some really beautiful passes created only with the traditional setup of guitars, bass, and drums. The Seven Mile Journey is a humble band, not offering a lot of sound or over saturating the sonic landscape with unnecessary ornamentation, but at the same time it avoids being minimalist and boring. In this light, we may compare them to artists such as Tula Drone, Gregor Samsa, and perhaps the lighter works of Mogwai.
The Seven Mile Journey took its time between the band's 2001 demo, and its debut album five years later. As a result, I believe that band has really honed in on its sound and are fully aware of its identify among the sea of instrumental and post-rock acts in the world today. Now all that is left is to harness the talent the band possesses and return with a stellar sophomore release that silences the critics. In the meantime, this Danish quartet comes up strong in its debut album, and hopefully we'll be seeing more from them in the future.
Windermere
Copenhagen
http://www.decoymusic.com/images/trackingthetrends/windermere.jpg
Website: Windermere (http://www.windermere.dk/)
Music: All Music (http://www.myspace.com/windermere)
We top off the list with one of Denmark's finest shoegazing bands. Windermere hasn't received much press in the US -- in fact, I've seen no mention of it whatsoever, but the band's sound is sharp enough for our critical ears. The World is Here is a spacey, soothing album with soaring guitars, broad ambiance, and enough pedal effects to make any listener content. Splashes of keyboards and sequencing are thrown in on occasion, but ultimately this is largely a guitar-driven album polished off with ambiance and placid vocals. Windermere sets the album off to a good start with "Trailer Park", a long song that builds slowly and winds itself around ethereal passages. After "Watch the Stars", we're treated to "Your Eyes Could Start a Fire", a track that begins with an icy demeanor, but slowly thaws itself with a intense ambient wave of energy. The next four songs feature an array of compositions, but the overall tone maintains a consistent feeling of isolation and longing. Throughout The World is Here, there's not much to uplift the spirits or provide hope during darker times, but it sure does make it easy to get lost is a web of despair and muddle in the more self-absorbing thoughts that plague the mind. This isn't exactly a human response that Windermere provides; rather, this quartet performs quite the mind trip to unsuspecting listeners who thought they were just in for a good space rock voyage.
Although the execution on The World is Here is quite satisfactory, the listener always remains very detached from the music itself. Windermere is currently recording its sophomore album, and I'm one to hope that they inject the music with a bit more energy and emotion to give it a more humanistic quality and distance itself from the cold, unforgiving done of its debut album. Ideally this gives fans of the band something to look forward to.
~Jordan Volz
~~~~~~~~~~
Tracking the Trends:
The Italian Embrace:
(Part I) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12135).
Japan: After the J-Pop:
(Part I) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=11581) (Part II) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=13064).
US Instrumental Rock :
(Part 0) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3348)(Part I) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=8023) (Part II) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=8355) (Part III) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=8953) (Part IV) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=10507).
Experimental British Rock:
(Part I) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5080) (Part II) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5512) (Part III) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6377) (Part IV) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=10879).
Swedish Post Rock:
(Part I) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4442).
Australian Underdogs:
(Part I) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4257).
Top 50 Instrumental Albums of 2005:
(1-10) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6772) (11-20) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6773) (21-30) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6774) (31-40) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6775) (41-50) (http://www.decoymusic.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6776).