Returning from a Summer Break is never easy, but we have a really exciting few months of Nordic music due to be released this Autumn, with the headliner for me undoubtedly being the mammoth 17 track Major Parkinson album, which is due in October.
It's possibly true to suggest that Danish band Danefae will share similar influences to the Norwegian 7 piece, with a positive healthy progressive element to their music - and I feel obliged to emphasise that again because I do find some 'prog' music can look too far backwards rather than being truly progressive. But for me Danafae’s emergence this year has been one of my 'new music' highlights, with complex, interesting music that also reminds me of the fabulous Kalandra, and their recent EP ‘Alene’ backs that up.
There’s just 3 tracks on this coherent EP, all of which apparently will be on a new album due later this year. Opener ‘Løbe’ hits the mark straight away, with an expansive if plaintive vocal melody, whilst there’s great dynamic contrasts in the instrumental support, which combined with the vocals gives the music so much power and intensity - I love the way in particular the track develops in the last 60 seconds.
‘Efterspil’, consists of a gorgeous piano solo, with musical themes and rhythms peaking through, and all flowing effortlessly into ‘Folder mine hænder’, which is probably my highlight, a weighty track with piano and guitars competing for space, forcefully carrying the song through different phases and themes.
Lyrically it is all in Danish, which does limit my understanding to an extent obviously, but the vocals courtesy of Anne Olesen are so persuasive that you can hear the sadness and angst in her voice. It’s no surprise that they recently describe the developing content of the EP as moving from “being hopeless and then giving up to anger”. It’s the type of typical cheery content that we guarantee to provide at Nordic Music Review.
Anyway, this is excellent, with bold songwriting, big tunes, stand out vocals and instrumentals that are just so rich with expression and ideas. The album will be simply marvellous.
Check out this interview with Danish Heavy Metal, and a big thank you to them for taking the time to do it.
Also the album is due on October 7th, coincidentally the same day as Major Parkinson’s Valesa… I might need to book the day off….