Casper Clausen, Mads Brauer and Rasmus Stolberg grew up on the small Danish island of Als. The three friends moved to Copenhagen with the innocent hope of becoming full-time musicians, and soon met drummer Thomas Husmer to form Efterklang late in 2000. Pianist Rune Mølgaard was also in the original line-up.

Efterklang’s first release was Springer in 2003, an EP on the band’s own indie label Rumraket. By 2004 Efterklang had completed their dazzling debut studio album Tripper, which incorporated strings, a brass section, a choir and guest lead vocalists. The same year they signed to the UK-based Leaf Label (Colleen, Murcof, A Hawk and a Hacksaw).

Leaf released Tripper to widespread critical acclaim for the skill and artistry with which they blended vivid acoustic instrumentation with Brauer’s laptop electronics. Tripper’s unique sonic atmosphere captured something special about the spirit of its time. It was popular, too: Tripper remains the fastest selling debut album in Leaf’s history.

Their next album, Parades (2007) was even more ambitious, with 30 guest musicians, including strings, brass and several choirs, layered in the band’s own studio in Copenhagen. After Parades, which took eighteen months of hard work, Efterklang went out on the road with an eight-piece touring line-up, playing more than 130 gigs around the world before the Parades tour ended in December 2008. The experience of touring brought a new dimension to the band’s music. ‘Casper [Clausen] stepped up as front man and his singing became much more extrovert,’ says Rasmus Stolberg (bass).

During this time they also collaborated with composer Karsten Fundal and the Danish National Chamber Orchestra to make an orchestrated version of Parades, premiered in Copenhagen in 2008, a spectacular audiovisual show that was released October 2009 as Performing Parades (Leaf DVD/CD/LP).

Magic Chairs, Efterklang’s third full-length album (and their first on their new home 4AD), is the most ‘band-like’ to date. Where bands like the Beatles, Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Talk Talk and Soft Machine started with short pop songs before moving into more extended forms. Efterklang’s trajectory has been in the opposite direction: their early material employed the longer forms, shapes and sounds of classical music. Magic Chairs is the closest they’ve got to a straightforward album of songs, with quirky rockers such as ‘Scandinavian Love’ and the cinematic ‘Modern Drift’.

Buke and Gass take great care of their sound, both in the delivery of their performance and tone of their unusual instrumentation. Few times does adding distortion to an acoustic instrument work, and it is even rarer that two people can produce such a thick, layered sound. Their songs feature acoustic resonance, a warm and driving heaviness and rhythmic intricacy, combining the best of various styles including the folksy grit of early blues (the same that no doubt inspired Led Zeppelin, to whom Buke and Gass bear resemblance), and progressive/experimental modern rock. Credit must be given to Arone’s extraordinary vocals for the overall vivacity and color of Buke and Gass. From behind a blissful smile effortlessly leaps an explosive, high altitude voice and unforgettable, often exotic melodies. The end result is a new level of performing and songwriting that should not be missed.