Efterklang: Magic Chairs

If my non-existent Danish and the Internet serve me correctly, “Efterklang” means something like “reverberations” or “remembrances,” and the beautiful duality of that half-translation captures the flavor of this band’s music. With its third album, Efterklang has casually drifted from the more overtly classical structures of its earliest work toward tighter rock songs rendered with the elegance and precision of cut glass.

Sprinkled throughout are familiar tones—fans of Sting, Arcade Fire and The National will all find friendly echoes throughout the album. Still, in a moment when orchestral gestures are all the rage, the album struggles at times to raise its head from the multi-instrumental pack; textured as it is, there’s a muted quality to this collection that inevitably leaves ears slightly cold. It’s pretty, but not always gripping.