Rivers That Run for a Sea That Is Gone

Rivers That Run for a Sea That Is Gone

This Danish duo play a variety of textures on their second album, but no matter how they experiment they never forget to rock. The album’s first two gorgeous tunes—“Above” and “Colours"—suggest a Europop band who write and arrange their songs for maximum efficiency. However, the title track swoops in for five minutes of pronounced drums and synth patches that keep the after-hours party going, with a vocal line that other bands would’ve overplayed. Reptile Youth likely want to be as huge as arena-ready bands; some lyrics and productions here strive for the banal bigness of “important” and “serious” groups. Yet they still flash their silliness in the process. “Structures” starts with vocals that dare teeter off the tee-tot. Having their single “JJ” mixed by Brian Thorn, who’s worked with Arcade Fire, is a tipoff to where these gents hear themselves being (an over-the-top single remix by Trentemoller indicates they aim to go even further). Yet, there’s still trippy weirdness and aggression that ensure they sound plenty hungry enough to save their souls.

You Might Also Like

Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada