New album ‘Brefjære’ released on 22nd September (Pelagic Records)
With expansive studio albums and captivating live shows, it’s safe to say that Spurv have left an indelible impression on the international post-rock scene over the past decade. This Norwegian sextet has released 3 stellar albums thus far, but their new record Brefjære, released on 22nd September (Pelagic Records) opens up a whole new dimension in terms of composition, musicianship, scope and production. Brefjære combines the orchestral grandeur of MONO with the wistful textures of This Will Destroy You and the Scandinavian mysticism of Sigur Rós. An oratorio for a world in despair with which Spurv redefine the boundaries of symphonic rock and post-rock, finding beauty and solace in the intersection of time, nature, history, and humanity. Commenting on new single ‘Urdråpene’, the band state,
“This album is such a complete composition that it is difficult to pick out singles. But Urdråpene is a true banger – maybe the heaviest track we’ve ever made. It’s a perfect part of the closing of the album, but also a great stand-alone track with its dense, majestic and hypnotizing finish.”
Listen now – https://listen.pelagic-records.com/spurv
Overall, Brefjære is an exercise in reconsiling postmodern relativity and genre-bending with classical composition techniques. The way the vibraphone arpeggios ebb and fow behind the fast-chugging guitars to slowly lead up to the final theme on ‘En brennende vogn over jordet’ testifes to a dynamic sensitivity that is unseen in this kind of music. Likewise, the way the bass completely has its own life on ‘Som skyer’ shows Pedersen’s approach to his bandmates’ parts is closer to that of an orchestra than a rock band. In fact, the moments in which instruments play in unison are quite rare throughout Brefjære, but when they do, for example on the thunderous main theme of ‘Til en ny vår’, it is to full efect.
Pedersen likens the recording process at Paradiso Studios in Oslo to a workshop rather than a rock band working in the studio. “A great number of players were involved in the creation and the only stable factor in that process was producer Jørgen Smådal Larsen. In fact, I don’t think there has been one moment in which the whole band was present in the studio at the same time, so he is defnitely the person who has been holding it all together.” The level of intricacy on Brefjære is breathtaking and seemingly matches the architecture of cathedrals and concert halls in which many oratorios used to be performed. With Pedersen as the architect and Larsen as the master builder, the four characters of Brefjære appear as four pillars on which this impressive building is rested.
From its immaculate conception during an unsuspecting gaze out of the window to the extensive pro- cess of its creation, Brefjære is a work of art that brings together the temporal and the eternal both in music and in poetry, revealing the universal truth that we are all equally everlasting and equally ephemeral. From the humble solo vocal performances against huge droning notes of ‘Under himmel- hvelvingen’ and ‘Å vente er å endre’ to the magnifcent celestial melodies of ‘Som skyer’ and ‘Til en ny vår’ Brefjære touches feetingly and eternally on that imperishable quality that Spurv are dying to bring with their music. A sonic saga for the ages.
Pre-orders begin on Friday 2nd June from – https://pelagic-records.com
FOR FANS OF
Godspeed You! Black Emperor, MONO, Sigur Ros, This Will Destroy You, EF, BRUIT≤, Russian Circles
Watch the video for previous single Å vente er å endre – https://youtu.be/8wYt-TWk4Sc
LINEUP
Spurv
Gustav Jørgen Pedersen – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocal on #4, percussion
Herman Otterlei – electric guitar
Hans-Jakob Jeremiassen – bass
Simon Ljung – drums
Eirik Ørevik Aadland – electric guitar, lap steel guitar, glockenspiel, trumpet, Simen Eifring – trombone, percussion
Guest musicians
Tåran Reindal (Leonov) – vocal on #6 Jørgen Bagheera Apeness – vibraphone Kari Rønnekleiv – violin
Ole-Henrik Moe – violin, viola, cello, picoletto violin Inger Hannisdal – solo violin on #2 and #7
Choir – Margrethe Lunde, Marthe Ødegård Olsen, Sanna Emilie Jensen Karlsrud, Kari Lisa Eide, Astrid Wøllo, Hege Nesset, Julia Nelson, Juliane Lauen Singstad, Linn Gaustadnes Hansen, David Sidi John Bakke, Tobias Føyen, Tor Haakon Bekkevold, Gustav Jørgen Pedersen, Eirik Ørevik Aadland.
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