With expansive studio albums and captivating live shows, it’s safe to say that Spurv have left an indelible impression on the international post-rock scene over the past decade. This Norwegian sextet has released 3 stellar albums thus far, but their new record Brefjære opens up a whole new dimension in terms of composition, musicianship, scope and production. Brefjære combines the orchestral grandeur of MONO with the wistful textures of This Will Destroy You and the Scandinavian mysticism of Sigur Rós. An oratorio for a world in despair with which Spurv redefine the boundaries of symphonic rock and post-rock, finding beauty and solace in the intersection of time, nature, history, and humanity.
“I recently moved to Tromsø in the far north above the polar circle,” says main-songwriter Gustav Jørgen Pedersen about the origins of Brefjære. “One day I looked out the window where I see the mountains and the birch trees and I found myself wondering, if they could speak, what would they be telling each other?” Thus, a mythical conversation between the wind, a mountain, a birch tree and a butterfly was born inspired by classical traditions such as Greek tragedies and the oratorios of the Baroque, but also by the musical journey of Spurv itself. “This album contains elements even from before we started Spurv back in 2011. Some of these ideas I’ve been working on for over 10 years” continues Pedersen, divulging how Brefjære is a result of a decade-long process as much as a contemporary snapshot.
