Recorded in the band’s own studio, the evolution of Under Giant Trees was somewhat unconventional. The five pieces developed as a way for the band to add variety to their sets while touring their debut album Tripper. Unexpectedly, the new songs emerged as firm favourites for both band and audience.
Returning to Copenhagen at the close of 2005, Efterklang’s five core members set to work recording the foundations of these new songs, with a view to this stand-alone release. Using musicians who had performed as part of the touring unit, the idea was to capture the songs as they had been played live, retaining the free spirit of their origin. These were uncharted waters for Efterklang, who usually create songs in the studio as they record.
The results are mesmerising – at once vibrant, otherworldly, poignant and panoramic. Opener ‘Falling Horses’ was the first track on Under Giant Trees to be written, evolving into one of the most grandiose, evocative songs Efterklang have yet created. ‘Himmelbjerget’, translated as ‘sky mountain’ in Danish, refers to innocent memories of a gigantic, fantastical Danish mountain which they later discovered was just 147 metres tall. ‘Hands Playing Butterfly’ is perhaps the simplest song they’re ever written – stripped to the bare elements of Efterklang’s signature sound, yet no less affecting for it, it is a beautiful, tender, tranquil piece of music. Like some ancient Danish drinking song, ‘Towards The Bare Hill’ is restless and energetic, while ‘Jojo’ originates from a particular fascination with harps and koras, and is a fittingly dramatic end to the disc.
The title Under Giant Trees refers to songs that are seen by the band as “trees we have planted, watered, nursed”. Now these vital, blossoming trees – an amalgamation of a thousand tracks, ideas, attempts and re-attempts, processes, drama and history - stand for themselves as the band (and the listener) lay beneath, watching them mature for a fruitful life of their own.
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