Swedish trio Death and Vanilla make a subtly commanding form of post-rock. The textures here are sleek, and the dynamics Krautrock, but the tunes are supple and easy to engage with. Flicker, the new record, is out on Friday via Fire Records.
Opener "Out for Magic" churns with a hint of Stereolab about it, while the languid "Find Another Illusion" is more distinctive. There's a lot to be said about the vocals of Marleen Nilsson here, but Anders Hansson and Magnus Bodin add a rhythmic give-and-take to this one that creates an undercurrent that's a bit unsettling. The song is both beautiful and dark. Elsewhere, "Looking Glass", with its Seventies pop vibe, reveals itself as the highlight of the record. Part Mike Oldfield, part Moroder, the selection is elegant and smart.
Death and Vanilla likely earn a lot of comparisons to Komeda and Stereolab, but on Flicker the band's entered more original territory. There are similarities here to those acts, and even Ivy, but Death and Vanilla sound more assured here in 2023, with the choices made in the presentation of this material impressive ones. The material is full of shiny surfaces, and hints of something dark lurking beneath the pop surfaces.
Flicker by Death and Vanilla is out on Friday via Fire Records.
[Photo: Fire Records]