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Innocently wrapping their smooth pop songs in blankets of chiming, nostalgically tripping post-rock, Mold's first full-length release is a richly textured and wide-open excursion on the fringes of art-school indie pop. With hints of Tortoise and the Mice Parade at hand, especially on the more lazily drifting jazz-infused parts, Mold even bring to mind Sigur Rós' ethereal drone and Mew's introverted indie-pop, ensuring that their post-rock routine remains comfortably removed from your regular math rock. The opening Mektago is an enticing piece of classic pop as seen through a diffusing psychedelica filter, while the steel guitar-assisted Trandat offers lovely, lazy country music. 51 is a delightfully shimmering pop song delivered with a lush melancholic edge, showing Mold at their elusive best. 'Hello Foreign Country' is the sound of classic pop music being pulled just out of reach through a series of slight twists and angular naivety. The Nordic chill invading Mold's warm-hearted compositions has become more defined since last year's promising 'Tempelhof' EP, and it's an expansion that serves both to underline and to broaden their already far-reaching musical parameters.

Stein Haukland
CWAS #12 - Summer 2003

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