Wildbirds & Peacedrums
BIOGRAPHY:
Wildbirds & Peacedrums join an ever growing list of Scandinavian artists to boast almost ethereal qualities, drifting in from north east Europe like shadowy apparitions in the freshly fallen snow. In fact, the husband and wife who met in 2006 whilst studying musical improvisation at the University of Gothenburg long been drawing comparisons to the likes of Sigur Ros and Bjork, and whilst such links might not be entirely accurate (there’s a lot more going on here that those names suggest) it still stands them in good stead as they attempt to carry on their kinsmen’s long standing tradition of creating arguably the best experimental music in the world.
WILDBIRDS & PEACEDRUMS – EXCLUSIVE ROCKFEEDBACK SESSION:
In 2007 the duo released their debut album Heartcore, receiving mass critical acclaim in their home country of Sweden which lead onto them being awarded the Årets Jazz i Sverige (Swedish Jazz Act of the Year). Having drummed up a substantial amount of excitement on home soil, the pair decided to immediately reinvest their share of the prize money back into the project and start work on 2008’s follow up The Snake, which started to turn heads a little further away from home (not to mention here in the Rockfeedback offices).
What makes Wildbirds & Peacedrums such a special band is their incomparable ability to create complex pop using a startlingly stark array of instruments. With little more than drums, percussion and electronic samples, Andreas Werliin manages to weave a rich and refreshing soundtrack to which Mariam’s haunting vocals resonate perfectly like wind whistling through the trees. There’s an inherent darkness in their music that becomes ever more prevalent, an alluring appeal that feels like being alone in the woods under a full moon. It’s this intriguing mix of fear and giddy excitement that captivates the imagination, generating a powerful vacuum that becomes a constant source of wonderment when twinned with suitably ambiguous animations.
WILDBIRDS & PEACEDRUMS – LIVE WITH A DRUM CIRCLE @ THE CORONET, LONDON:
On the back of the love shown to their second LP, the pair were able to justify a small American tour as well as a handful of European dates. Since then a series of EP releases (Iris and Retina, which featured a shift of focus toward choral vocals and steel drum accompaniments) have been combined to form their third full length outing Rivers, released earlier this year. It’s an altogether bigger sounding effort, recorded over a week in Iceland’s magical capital Reykjavik. Whilst Undoubtedly boasting a grander set of ideas, the new material still manages to stay true to their minimalist principles despite expanding on the initial golden formula. Their ability to progress without losing an ounce of their original spine tingling appeal is what makes Wildbird’s & Peacedrums forerunners in their scene, and one of the most exhilarating prospects around at the moment.
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