Losing Today - http://www.losingtoday.com
Having already delivered the monumental debut from Leeds based Immune earlier this year (a release which we thoroughly recommend you check out if you haven’t already done so) now comes the equally impressive debut from Australian 3 piece Greenland. Like fellow country men Silver Ray, Greenland prove that you don’t need a roomful of guitarists in order to craft out what can one minute be dream like spiralling symphonies and the next hypnotic displays of torrential intensity. Honing their craft in the best tradition of Mogwai and Constellation’s finest Greenland are fully fluent in what it takes to create glacial texts and carve impressively towards that goal using post rock tools and cinematic sheens and okay what they may lack in as much as Godspeed’s ability to stir up epic melodramas at the flip off a hat they more than admirably acquit themselves in terms of concocting immediately accessible sonic overtures that are direct, unobtrusive and not so over elaborate as to make them generically tied. On the opening ‘The amps have eyes’ they toy playfully dipping into Floyd-ist realms drawing you in deceptively in fact, almost daringly, to an unseen point of collapse which of course never happens though buried beneath a blizzard of locked down intense groove the threat always seems a realistic possibility. On the sadly tinged ‘Cowboys in Atlantis’ the trio are haunted by the spectre of the Shadows at their most potent and touching (elegantly and faintly snaring that repose between ‘Wonderful Land’ and ‘Deer Hunter’). Cruising melancholia cast like some cinematic moment on which a film turns on its heels to a point where the hero, caught in a moment of reflective introspection, leaves the path he has travelled to follow a route that’ll ultimately be the making of him. In sharp contrast ‘Secret rat and the bag of happiness’ zigzags superbly between shades of light and dark though beneath always instilling that scuffing of oppressive tenseness that suggests something untoward is looming large around the next corner. For me though it’s on the irresistibly sublime ‘Alicia’ where the band blossom in full glorious technicolor. Measured and all at once tranquil and hurtfully heartbreaking, Greenland work amid the same given magical environs that lie elegantly frosted between the reaches of earth and the heavens above, a place more commonly associated with Workhouse and Yellow 6. Chords seductively shimmer in shy formations arcing gracefully whispering a language of mournful romance to enchant and seduce in equal measures. Damn it’s quite perfect. www.gizehrecords.com
Skratch the Surface - http://www.skratchthesurface.co.uk
An adventurous offering from this Australian trio 'The Prisons Of Language' recalls all manner of influences from Mogwai to Godspeed! You Black Emperor to Pink Floyd or Sigur Ros during their spacier, fluid passages and the likes of Jesu or Godflesh when they beef it up on occasion.
To bracket this loosely, I'd say simply 'experimental rock'. Anyway, that's not the point, the point is, are Greenland any good? The answer: a resounding yes!
Opener 'The Amps Have Eyes' builds and weaves on a pulsating bassline with some Sonic Youth style jabs of guitar layered over the top. Despite being an instrumental band 'Greenland's dense soundscapes are still fulfilling and instant enough to be immediately listenable - this EP isn't just for aural ingestion after a half ounce of skunk in a dimly lit room.
I find myself waiting for vocals to come in at times on this EP, but when they don't it's not a bad thing. If anything it shows that Greenlands inventive workouts are still fully in touch with the concept of being a 'song' - this isn't just art wank muso fodder.
As the tempered flow of 'A Secret Rat And The Bag Of Happiness' starts to lift off it becomes apparent that despite having numerous and varied influences, even after three short tracks I have been sucked into the Greenland vibe, and experimental or not, these talented antipodeans definately have a sound of their own. Interesting, intelligent and damn nearly unmissable, fail to invest in this EP at your collections peril.
- noz
Oz Music Project - http://www.ozmusicproject.net
The title of Sydney band Greenlands' EP provides a neat link to the musical direction of their work. The four tracks of the disk each explore the desire to move beyond the clumsy constraints of words and find a more meaningful way of communicating, in this case moody, extensive, Mogwai-eque instrumentation and a distinct lack of vocals. Antonin Artaud, the experimental dramatist and pioneer of the "Theatre of Cruelty" employed similar ideas in the 1920's and 30's, doing away with dialogue to produce confronting theatre composed of animalistic gibberish, bizarre lighting, sound effects which he hoped would challenge his audience into some form of emotional confrontation. I'm not going to pin the same aims onto Greenland, but their cinematic, semi-epic songs most definitely invite the listener to create personal narratives.
`The Amps Have Eyes' is driven by a pulsing guitar line and opens things up in fine, brooding style, with percussive crashes providing an enjoyable unpredictability. `Alicia', the song with the shortest, least ambiguous title is not as immediately intense as other tracks. Built around gentle guitars it displays a loping sense of restrained melancholy, before building to a shimmering and eloquently uplifting conclusion. The energetic high point of the EP comes in `Secret Rat & The Bag Of Happiness' which grows organically from frenetic, repressed percussion that eventually finds an outlet as the looming, dark overtones of the song are given scope. The guitars wail, while beneath them keyboards, samples and trumpet combine to create an emotive, discordant and futuristic sounding song. The closer `Cowboys In Atlantis' evokes a gentle sense of nostalgia via intricate guitar interplay and comforting repetition, before pulling out all stops for the final two minutes of heavy riffs which fade gracefully from the speakers but leave a lasting impression.
Whether or not you choose to take note of the fact that `Prisons Of Language' was mastered by a guy who's worked with At The Drive In, Placebo and Coldplay (that would be Sean Magee) or that it was done in Abbey Road Studios, it cannot be denied that Greenland are producing music that is both inventive and beautiful. They successfully temper post-rock formulas with a cinematic sensibility and unexpected instrumentation, ensuring that their vocal-free tracks can no be dismissed as mere noodling, but rather engaging and sonically complete experiences.
- Ella
Whisperin & Hollerin - http://www.whisperinandhollerin.co.uk
GREENLAND comprise: Liam Weston, drums and percussion; Andre Matkovic, bass and trumpet; Leon Kelly, guitar and keyboards. They live and record in Sydney, and here they are releasing their debut solo EP on sparkily independent Gizeh Records out of Leeds. It’s pretty good.
Greenland used to do the spade work for a bigger band called Iliad. But, like Cliff Richard and the Shadows, they discovered that they were much better as just the Shadows. Guitar music has its own voice and there are plenty of us out here who love the unadorned sounds of musicians playing their hearts out while the ego goes for a long chat with the agent.
What GREENLAND do is a slow, purposeful, psyche groove with a melody that unwinds forever like some sonic fractal. Yes, it does come hard on the heels of EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY, and it is not a million years after SIGUR ROS or MOGWAI. But I can discern a different spirit at work, and a little patience in the wider spaces of GREENLAND that will not leave you unrewarded. Art Noise people will find it a little domesticated. But for guitar rock 'n' roll loving types, this will be adventurous and exciting stuff. They don’t spurn that Pink Floyd heritage. They just take it gently on.
The mood stays in the singular. Spacey, stoned, remorseful, but hopeful. It's like a middle section from a GOD SPEED! YOU BLACK EMPEROR gig with a nice bit of trumpet four fifths of the way into the third track. The tunes have elegant titles (of course) "The Amps Have Eyes" "Alicia", "Secret Rat And The Bag Of Happiness" and "Cowboys In Atlantis". But it would take a Humphrey Burton to identify the subtle shifts from one theme to another or the sense of overall structure or dynamic that seems to link the pieces like fairy dust. I get a strong feel that the band are just flowing with the moment and not being too artful about recreating that deliberate symphonic development that characterises the best of SIGUR ROS. It’s an extended jam, with homework.
England will have a lot of bands going this way right now. But GREENLAND are up and running. The EPs out and it looks and sounds good. Like EXPLOSIONS before them, this is the advance notice of that great album that could follow. It’s a liberated, creative band on the edge of bursting out.
- Sam Saunders
Faster Louder - http://www.fasterlouder.com.au
Sydney band Greenland delves into an exploratory instrumental sound and releases a beautifully self-produced EP of glacial music through new label Reverberation.
Formed around the break up of Sydney band Iliad, the absence of vocals in Greenland is neither conspicuous nor illogical as the band sounds comfortable discovering extra space and finding its own vocabulary in expressing music without words. What stands Greenland apart from many instrumental bands is how accomplished the musicians actually are.
Drawing on a range of cinematic, classical, soul and post-rock influences, Greenland seems to have hit the ground running with their debut EP appropriately titled The Prisons Of Language. The production is crisp and full at the same time, helping to broadly encapsulate Greenland’s raison d'etre; some songs drift majestically like ice caps (think Sigur Ros) others drive with a ferociousness akin to a jackhammer through your skull. In the best possible way of course.
Creating instrumental music, by turns introspective and majestic, places the trio in familiar post-rock terrain. But Greenland have more in common with artists like Portishead, minimalist composer Philip Glass, and in their heavier moments, seminal noise industrialists Godflesh than they do with Slint, Tortoise or Mogwai.
There are two things that strike out when looking through the EP’s liner notes. Well actually the first thing is the cover. Two elderly men, identical twins it would seem, grace the cover of The Prisons Of Language. Their garb is Florida holiday beach shirts. In their eyes, a distant and disturbing look, more than befitting of the music Greenland makes.
The next thing that stands out is a mention that the EP was mastered at Abbey Road studios. Now if that’s the Abbey Road in London, then one gets the impression this band take their music seriously, which in Greenland’s case, can only be a good thing.
Liam Weston (drums), Leon Kelly (guitar and keyboards) and Andre Matkovic (bass and trumpet) make up the band, and Greenland do justice to the universal appeal of a well matched three piece; each person’s part is essential and the band live (where I first witnessed them) is capable of sounding like it houses double the members.
The songs, more than anything, offer much anticipation for a full-length release. Cowboys In Atlantis should definitely be a contender for song title of the year and has a lovely mournful guitar line which draws the song out perfectly. Secret Rat And The Bag Of Happiness on the other hand suggests a nod to drug induced consciousness-expansion and um, TV detective shows?
All up, an exciting release from a cool and different band. This is the sound of the Sydney underground. You’d do well to get on top of it before it gets on top of you.
- Slanted
The Wax Conspiracy - http://www.thewaxconspiracy.com
An ironic title for an instrumental album. To be sure, Greenland has no vocals at all. And initially, it's a bit weird to listen to, as it seems as though there's something missing. Like a phantom limb or invisible siamese twin that you can *feel* should be there, but isn't. But this twin isn't necessary. In fact, you were strong enough without that deadweight holding you back.
Admittedly, I first baulked at this album, thinking it too ambient. But I can't stop listening to it now. Its got moxy. And quite a lot of "build," and you just don't really experience that in enough songs these days.
This particular EP has 4 tracks. Each as good as the other. There's old men on the cover, which has nothing to do with the content. Or the review. I don't know how to describe the sound. "Rock" would be the closest thing, but it's not that. It's not difficult to listen to, nor is it everyone's cup of tea. The production is clean and clear - a job well done. The liner notes say that there's some brass on track 3 (secret rat and the bag of happiness) but it wasn't obvious until the very end. The other songs seem to be completely without brass.
There are particular influences in there, but it's not that obvious (to me) who they are. This kind of thing speaks volumes about a band - they possess their own thoughts and sounds.
A very different approach to the scene.
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