Review Summary: A calm and contemplative journey that nevertheless reaches epic emotional heights with staggering ease... and it's really good too
Kalandra are a band from Norway, they play art rock with some Nordic folky undertones and have a chick for a vocalist who's got a pleasant voice that fits very much into today's art pop trends, but who's also unusually versatile in that she can sing with a fleeting head voice, a modern poppy belt and a folky white voice with equal ease. She can also transition between these styles at the drop of a hat, which lends itself well to the impressive variety of styles and dynamics that the band managed to cram into
The Line, their debut outing.
Starting off with a completely ambient intro with vocals boosted by choir backings, the album may make you wonder what exactly awaits you further down the line, and you keep discovering new sounds all the way throughout. Artsy rock with catchy choruses reminescent of their country mates Leprous and even poppier acts such as A-ha; extended, contemplative, droning acoustic passages dissolving you into a stupor; folky parts evocative of the rugged nature of the Nordics, and even something uncannily reminescent of the more poppy and upbeat side of bands such as Oceansize - these guys really can do it all, and effortlessly. As such,
The Line takes you on a sonic journey that spans a plethora of emotions and moods, while remaining infectiously catchy and eminently re-listenable.
As mentioned above, the vocalist Katrine is the focal point of the band, and possibly the greatest piece of rare evidence in long years that vocally-driven music can be done at such a high level. While she does occasionally sing in the folky white voice that gives the album its Nordic feel, that's far from all she can do, as she feels just as home doing more contemporary vocal styles to keep things varied. Hell, she can do a better Sharon den Adel than Sharon den Adel and even pull a convincing Simone Simons too if she wants to. Oh, and let's not forget her felow Nordwoman Susanne Sundfør whose typical singing voice is quite similar, and she also dabbles in similar styles in her music, and last but not least - as the poppiest track, "On the Run" demonstrates, Katrine can even sound like a bona fide pop and country singer when she wants to - she's that good.
But she wouldn't be allowed to show her full potential if not for the rest of the band though, who've managed to craft soundscapes of unbelievable dynamism and varying levels of emotional charge without even having to play heavy whatsoever. Sometimes less is more, and this kind of restraint in songwriting facilitates demonstrating that fact when the more charged and bombastic parts come in. It all feels so obvious, simple and effortless, and yet so few manage to accomplish it.
There is a lot more that can be said about "The Line", such as that it manages to feel both indie and firmly within today's pop trends at the same time (which could be a good or bad thing, depending on your persuasion), but coming at no cost in pompousness or aloofness - it's a sound that will welcome all and can be welcomed by all who give it the time of day. And everyone should, no matter their usual musical preferences, as the experience is almost granted to make them richer in some way, and quite possibly happier - if even for a fleeting instant.
