Post-rockers paint a stunning landscape in sound.
n their fourth album, Norwegian sextet Spurv (translation: ‘Sparrow’) find inspiration in a title that refers to the leaves of spring. The band’s soundscapes are enriched by strings, vibraphone and a choir, resulting in a remarkably expansive album that can move from enticing, gentle string arrangements through to crushingly heavy post-metal. (‘Like Clouds’) drifts like the gentlest zephyr then roils like a thunderstorm, while shorter, vocal-led passages provide refreshing interludes between the longer instrumental compositions. (‘To A New Spring’) starts with a delicate acoustic guitar melody, evoking the first buds emerging after winter, before the song blossoms into the abundant, vibrant energy of springtime. is a swaggering riff workout, and is loaded with drama, as droning strings and the chanting choir are accompanied by a sinuous guitar line and a sparse, pulsing drumbeat. Simply enthralling.
