The first moments I full-tilt embraced the twisted-up songcraft of Stockholm duo Korallreven (Daniel Tjäder and Marcus Joons), was with their seismic remix of Britney Spears' "Till The World Ends." Their first record An Album by Korallreven (2011) was was filled with their signature unhurried, whispering synthpop songs, which Joons has likened to "both a silk scarf and a can of slime.” Basically, they've got a real knack for melding complex structures with a pop sugar rush.
On their new full-length Second Comin' (Cascine) there's a reeling energy as never before: the synths are super-charged, choirs take the squealing "The Highest State Of Grace" to a fever pitch, and you sometimes feel like it's all just going to burst. Yet there's a subtly in all their bombast with the voluminous piano-led "Alone In Shinjuku", or "Ki", which features Maria Lindén of I Break Horses asking "what do you care about?" Second Comin' asks the big questions with an non-showy ambition, beaming synths, and a featherlight touch. The last words on Second Comin' are "never die." How else to end such a life-affirming album?
Second Comin' is out on November 4. Pre-order here
