Efterklang

A ten-piece ensemble hailing from Copenhagen, Efterklang (which translates as "reverberation”) is the latest electronic group to explore a fascination with icy, majestic sound-mountains. A year in the making, this debut album possesses all of the markings commonly associated with like-minded Icelandic troupes Múm and Sigur Rós — epic songs that blend into each other, a sad and heavy feel, string instruments mixed in with their glitch electronics — but little to make it memorable. The employment of a Greenlandic choir adds some beautiful, lush touches, but only serves to add to the album’s already supreme weightiness. There are some impressive musical moments on Tripper (the programming and melodies of stand-out "Swarming” being one of them), however, that do make it a worthwhile investment for anyone left puzzled and cold after Múm’s severely disappointing Summer Make Good. But in the end there are too many common sounds between Efterklang and their contemporaries (another being post-rock originators Rachel’s) to provide them with much room for an identity of their own.