Curating an array of immersive soundscapes drawing from shoegaze, post-metal, black-metal, as well as lending from the realms of alt-rock, Denmark’s MØL explore the duality and reality of dreams in DREAMCRUSH. Forming both a source of personal inspiration but with the capacity to produce a personal hell, the strive for achievement and reality of pressured expectations balances on a knife-edge.
Beginning with DREAM, the enveloping sonic wave marries aptly with the track’s title. Its pace is soothing, not rushed, as each additional instrumental layer arrives in turn. The initial free-floating sound is gradually grounded through the addition of guitars, bass and percussion. The sense of serenity is violently disrupted as harsh textures pierce through the veil forcing a collision of worlds. It’s a powerful opening to DREAMCRUSH; it establishes the central theme of the album in a most compelling manner that guides the listener carefully through each emotion to understand the contrasting elements at play. A key component of the tracklist is Kim Song Sternkopf’s striking vocal delivery. His harsh vocals a fierce and sharp while his cleans bring a softer, personal feel.
Små Forlis follows with lyrics sung in both Danish and English. This ties in with further avenues of exploration that are tread throughout DREAMCRUSH. The tasks of findingoneself and being truly authentic stem from a questioning as to whether something has been lost or forfeit in the heavy pursuit of these idealised dreams. Musically, Små Forlis is intense. The song’s fast pace, distortion and unyielding harsh vocals unveil the shadows that lurk behind the light. Young—again, with lyrics sung in both Danish and English—brings a more uplifting side before returning quickly into the dark and heavy. Once again, the sound feels huge and enveloping. In Young, the two juxtaposing sides interplay more frequently throughout the track’s arrangement, increasing the impact further as alternating motifs blend but also stand alone.
The only track on the album to feature lyrics entirely in Danish, Hud embraces a sombre mood. The more minimal quality of the verses, comprised of twinkling synths, strong bass and percussion grounding, is suddenly disturbed by an all-powerful chorus. Hud isn’t wholly nightmarish however, the synth carries through forming a connecting line between the light and shade. Re-evaluating oneself and questioning the unknown are aspects entwined into Garland. Catchy, alt-rock arrangements evoke a lighter sound while this style is emphasised with a fiery aggression in the track’s choruses. Turning to the ethereal, Favour, featuring cellist Arianna Mahsayeh, traverses other realms. The warmth of Mahsayeh’s cello feels comforting. A seemingly serene progression holds within a small touch of discordance—just enough to hint at something sinister. A solemn quality ensues with Sternkopf’s anguish-fuelled harsh, but rather than disrupting the harmony it enhances it and reveals the complexities and nuance of the dream.
A mood shift of sorts occurs in A Former Blueprint in a switch back to alt-rock and catchy plains. The rhythm and increased pace of the verses inject a sense of urgency or progressionforwards contrasting the lyrics “we’re sinking here”. The slower, intentional feel of the heavier, demonic-esque chorus ensures the shade hits harder. ∞ is DREAMCRUSH’s only instrumental track—tranquil…mostly. The guitar chords opening Dissonance carry warmthand comfort. Shattering distortion and harsh vocals reiterate the impermanence of any calmwith the return of unease. As harsh vocals entwine with a catchy guitar lead, this track intriguingly fuses further these contrasting moods with a more progressive feel.
The velocity is turned up with Mimic. Abrasive and heavy from the off, it’s a thunderous track entangled with a sense of personal frustration and resentment. Following this extreme outburst, a sudden, unexpected moment of calm is to be found in the middle of the song. Guitar leads kick off the return to distorted realms. Ending with an explosive percussion solo, MØL continue to deliver moments of surprise. The album concludes with CRUSH. Delving straight into the heart, it differs in character from DREAM, having gone too far to return to the innocence, its high-speed and ferocious instrumentation is unceasing.
For fans of: VOLA, Leprous, Unprocessed
‘DREAMCRUSH’ by MØL is out now on Nuclear Blast Records.
Words by Holly Royle
