Review: Ef :: Mourning Golden Morning

How does Ef, probably the best known Swedish band in the genre, intend to top their beautiful EP “Give me beauty… Or give me death!” and “I am Responsible”? Releases widely accepted as having captured the essence of Post Rock, with subtle vocals, sweeping soundscapes and full of emotion.

2 years on, the guys present us with “Mourning Golden Morning”, with a nicely designed cover, illustrating the potential artistry contained within. 7 tracks await us, approximately 50 minutes in total.

Escapade #1 starts the album, a short slow and melancholic piece that sets the scene. Strings hover around us, building up and leading us into…

Sons of Ghosts, which starts with a simple piano sound and a pumping drum set (think Festival by Sigur Ros). The guitars join the crowd, with the intention of picking us up and carrying us onwards… a break, a minor relief, letting the keyboards get a little more attention, slowly the drums pick up the beat in an almost miltary style, guitars bring back the feeling of completion, and the strings grab my attention, rounding off the sound that is easily recognisable as Ef. Another break, and the guitars are left with the haunting background vocals that Ef have perfected. The lyrics kick in, male with a very quiet and delicate female voice just behind… “I keep fighting time, keep on walking by”… “All those fading lights” rings to perfection at the end of each verse. The band comes back at us in full, drums now leading, pounding out a footprint for the others to follow. Crescendos, breaks, with this track Ef are paying respect to “Give me beauty” while at the same time proving that they have matured and used their hiatus from recording well. A fantastic track that could very well be released as a single.

K-141 KPCK kicks off with a solid drum, guitars joining in to create a heavier sound than we are used to from Ef, tempo changes after 90 seconds bring us back to a drfting melody and haunting tones at a much more relaxed pace. The guys build up on this, slowly gathering speed and adding dark layers well into the track until there is another break with a solitary guitar. A rush, a breakspeed turn, bringing back the heavy notes. The drummer leads the way again, percussions highlighting the road for the rest to follow.

Longing for Colors, the track that the band have already published on MySpace, is the track that will potentially take the band out of the relatively small area of known Post Rock bands, and into a larger world. A meandering start is augmented with the soft male vocals, and then catalysed with whispery, delicate and subtle female tones. The track follows the standard verse & chorus pattern, with a break after 3 minutes, and the guitars gradually getting louder, leading us back into the web that Ef weaves with this track. Drums join, the guitars pick up the pace and volume, pulse raising, foot tapping, a shiver running down my back… this is Ef at their best and this is the track from the album that will have the crowd heading straight for the merchandise stand at their gigs. Ef know their business and beyond that, they know when and how to use vocals to the best effect. Another break (5:25), a change of scale, yet another build up, like the proverbial sun breaking through the clouds. The main instrument in this track is not one that the band holds in their hands, its the emotion created when they play their individual parts, each single piece as clear as a bell, yet the whole being so much more than just instruments playing together. Around 40 seconds before the track ends, all rejoin for a monotous barrage of riffs that end all too soon, but nicely set the way for

Fyra, which starts with a simple guitar melody, and is picked up with more guitar effects, creating an ambient space for a seemingly sampled drum track. An intricate track that takes the listener on a short journey. The first 3:30 minutes (of 4:30) are reminiscent of Múm, while the change of track remind me for some unidentified reason of The Calm Blue Sea.

Fyra leads straight into 401 Lwa, keeping the solid drum track, and bringing in piercing guitars. Not yet a Post Rock track, only after 2 minutes do we see the track unfold. The drums and percussions pick up, strings lay the background for a growing intensity, which takes shape after 3 minutes, a classic Post Rock sound, with a chugging set of riffs again proving that Ef have matured. A heavier sound, but still keeping the delicacy and mastery expected from them and this album. A solid track that has my vote for best track, although it probably won’t be the favourite track for the most.

Alp Lugens and beyond, the album closer and 12:31 long commences with promising soundscapes and a single guitar picking out an apparently sad and lonely melody. Another sampled drum track joins in, the soundscapes grow in volume, the bass guitar adds an undertone, and after the less than three minutes the track unfolds, presenting its size and might as a whole. A well thought through piece that glows and radiates warmth, and then succeeds in outshining itself when the quiet and undiscernable vocals lead the way out of the intro section and into the pondering darkness that the track evolves into (~6:00). Layers of guitars on top of the drum set, which again leads us through the track, until the next tempo switch, letting us believe that we are moving back to Efs typical delicacy. A single drum beat, well defined guitar riffs and a piercing lead are joind by background soundscapes, building again, upwards and onwards, always upwards. A faster pace is needed and present, we need more loudness and it is given, a peak with a beautiful PR sound, this is what Ef is about, this is the shiver down my spine, this is what makes me love this genre and band, what makes me want to jump up and shout at the world, not understanding their lack of acceptance, their misfortune for now seeing and feeling how a single track can pick you up, travel with you, make the sun shine through the clouds…. The monumental peak of this track are all that I need, my day is no longer gray and dull, I am here, I am alive, and whatever “Alp lugens and beyond” means, it is irrelevant in this single moment, that I wish wouldn’t end.

In summary, a fantastic follow up to their previous release, full of little gems that will keep their fans content, while also potentially growing their fan base. My learning from writing this review: I need to type faster to keep up with the music while writing