Album Reviews

City Slang

The beguiling debut solo album from Casper Clausen. Better known as the lead vocalist from Danish indie rock group, Efterklang, Clausen now steps out in his own light with a brilliantly constructed debut. Clausen’s enjoyment of this new freedom to create in his own style is palpable, his bold, shimmering sound seemingly bursting out of its shell and filling up every space on the record. He sounds bold and confident as his ever-unfurling sound grows in stature with each track. Touching on Krautrock, progressive pop, experimental and arthouse sounds, Better Way takes on a kaleidoscopic feel, swirling around an ever-shifting soundscape. Addictive breaks are joined by offbeat rhythms, metallic guitar riffs, warm bass, jangling melodies, and hazy structures in this intricate and highly immersive soundmesh. Clausen’s distinctive vocals add real depth and interconnectivity, keeping us tethered to human feeling in a created world that feels spun-out and somehow unattainable. The world that Clausen has built is intricate, rich and unknowable, yet he somehow manages to find flickers of light to lead us down this winding, mysterious path of unexpected treasures that takes us deeper and deeper into the forest of his imagination. A wonderfully distinctive and singular debut, Better Way is the encapsulation of a highly creative mind that is given the freedom to run away with its own desires, questions and emotions. A stunning debut that pulls you down into its depths before rising up reborn.