Swedish experimentalists redefine the boundaries of music
I've been looking forward to this ever since I reviewed the excellent Jeniferever/TNAS split EP back in February. The wait, it turns out, has been well worth it.
Jeniferever return with an extra member in their ranks - Joakim Viklund, whose contributions range from both bass and electric guitar to synthesizer. Another change from the EP is that the vocals; sounding at times like a male Björk, with a bit of Jonah Matranga thrown in for good (make that excellent) measure, play a much more prominent role. Thankfully they blend in with the music seamlessly, and don't upset the delicate balance of that all-important 'Jeniferever' sound.
'That' sound combines all the best elements of Mogwai, GYBE and the more melodic side of Isis, to create the sort of music that terms like "soundscape" were made for - an organic vista of guitars, strings, keys and horns that whilst occasionally bleak, is always involving. It's post-rock, Ikea style - less, is definitely more.
Even though this is technically classed as an EP, with a total running time of almost 40 minutes, what we basically have here is a 4-track album. And what an album.
The melodies are so good that you can't help but feel you've heard them before, and for some reason I'm constantly thinking how great they'd be on a film soundtrack. This may be due to the fact that the music is so vivid and expressive that it has an almost cinematic quality, conclusively proving that you don't need lyrics to successfully convey meaning and emotion in music.
'You Only Move Twice' opens with some beautiful pinched harmonics and whispered vocals, building gently before closing with a string arrangement that is strangely reminiscent of Rob D's 'Clubbed To Death'. 'White Belt, Black Heart' is positively dripping in melancholy, and features some of the most emotionally harrowing chords I've ever heard. The track ends with an explosion of distortion and feedback, showing that Jeniferever aren't afraid to rock out when the time calls, but this is a rare outburst on what is a generally restrained display.
Some people say that the music they listen to is dependent on their mood, but I think it is exactly the opposite: my mood is dependent on the music I'm listening to. Bearing in mind that 'Iris' is a largely sombre affair, you may not want to listen to this whilst driving or operating heavy machinery, but if you want something that will genuinely affect you, then look no further.
I haven't even mentioned the best bit yet: the vocalist's name is Kristofer Jönson, which is basically my name in Swedish form. Good work bro, good work.