English Electric Recordings [Release date: 02.09.22]
In a world going to Hell in a hand-cart, we all need a quiet place where we can escape for a while, chill out and contemplate the infinite – some may choose the floatation tank, others the great outdoors but if you agree with William Congreve that “music hath charms to soothe the savage breast”, look no further than this sophomore album from Norwegian post-proggers Dim Gray.
I was turned onto the band after reading Dave Randall’s excellent GRTR! review of their self-released debut album ‘Flown’ that compared their music to the likes of Celtus and the the melancholic recent albums of Katatonia – and so taken with it was I that it appeared in my GRTR! top five Albums of the Year in 2021.
Now signed to Big Big Train’s English Electric label, they share attributes with Katatonia insofar as their diverse musical roots include black metal – but also folk and film music and it’s from the latter two that their wondrous musical template has evolved.
As a musical touchstone, the likes of Italy’s Hostsonaten, Germany’s Frequency Drift and a touch of Russia’s iamthemorning permeate – though this is very much a unique album from a unique band.
It is, by turns, anthemic, operatic, church-like and folky, but over-archingly spiritual with a wide-screen cinematic sweep. Ethereal melancholia for the soul if you will…
Twelve tracks and nothing clocks in at more than five minutes. It doesn’t need to, as the band says all that needs saying without resorting to endless epics to get their point across.
The cascading guitars, keyboards and fragile vocals of opener ‘Mare’ lead us in beautifully to an album bursting with musicality and a treasury of exquisite songs to soften even the hardest of hearts.
The celestial vocals of ‘Ashes’, the exceptional drumming on ‘Undertow’, the beautiful piano figures of ‘Avalon/The Tide’ and ‘Long Ago’ and the chiming guitar and anthemic chorus of ‘My Barren Road’ are all high points on an album devoid of low-points.
In a sea of loveliness however, the true zenith of the album is ‘Abalus / In Time’ – the soaring chorus and keyboard sweeps genuinely sending those shivers down your spine.
The guitars of Håkon Høiberg are superb, the drumming of Tom Klungland an exempli gratia of ‘less is more’ and the vocals, keys and programming of Oskar Holldorff are totally in tune with the album’s ethos. Throw in some cello, flute, violin, Theramin and saw(!) and you can consider the cake iced.
A beautiful album, beautifully played and if the world really is getting you down, ditch the shrink and buy this – it’ll get you through.
Exceptional. *****
Review by Alan Jones
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Power Plays w/c 15 April 2024
ENMY The Ledge (FiXT)
KAROBELA Get Hard (indie)
KATH & THE KICKS Neptune (indie)
THE BEE TELLERS River Poem (Black Sand Records)
LAUREN FREEBIRD Like A Bomb (indie)
Featured Albums w/c 15 April 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023
14:00-16:00 KATARINA PEJAK – Pearls On A String (Ruf Records)
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