Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Efterklang

Emerging from a city I hope to visit someday, Copenhagen, Denmark is Efterklang having formed in early 2001. The first release I have to offer you is their first real, or at least widely released, EP, Springer. However, it wasn't re-released for British and American audiences until 2005, with the album Tripper appearing in the interim year. Then in 2007 there was the release of both a new album, Parades, and an EP, Under Giant Trees. Now, there are other releases, some 7-inches and the one-sided LP, but I am sharing what I've got at the minute. The music is epically graceful. Composed with five core members and then preformed on tours in a larger group up to ten, the music has a complexity to it belying its minimalist front. Though much of the music is instrumental, utilizing guitars, strings, drums, computers and more, there are vocals, both of an ethereal backdrop not unlike Iceland's Sigur Rós and more concrete singing. The range of emotion they are able to allude to within this framework is simply astounding. The earlier albums have a feeling like they're more glitch-like, but Parades has a certain folk sound to it. The use of choir-like singing gives some songs an old-time feeling they'd otherwise lack, to feel like chants in someways. Many of the songs are long enough to achieve a transition within the track itself. Everything they've produced is worth a good listen in my humble opinion, and should be approach with an open mind even if post-rock has wronged you before.

To be had here:




Tripper (2004) @ 192 kbps















Springer (2005 [2003]) @ 192 kbps













Under Giant Trees (2007) @ 224 VBR kbps












Parades (2007) @ 192 kbps

1 comment:

  1. I repaired the Under Giant Trees link, sorry about that.

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