Over the past decade, Oh Hiroshima have made a name for themselves in the Swedish music scene, taking inspiration from the likes of This Will Destroy You and numerous other bands in the Post-Rock genre, the band have made themselves stand out, and now four albums later, the band are once again looking to stretch out their horizons on the fifth album of their catalog, All Things Shining (Pelagic Records).
Looking into new fields and sounds from the likes of Krautrock, the band are looking to invigorate their music with brand-new influences and create more of the hard-hitting, complex material they’ve been known for across their four previous albums.
“Wild Iris” commences the album with this ambient sound before crisp guitars bloom into life, with a similar sound to Cave In’s most recent efforts in Heavy Pendulum.
The instrumentation to the first track is incredibly clean and precise, as if methodically placed in the specific place to serve a purpose. From this point the band go into a slow burning build up, gradually growing faster and faster, until sudden silence before bringing in one of the largest crescendos of the year so far. Despite not being a heavy track, the energy of this almost Post-Rock breakdown is undeniable, the band putting their whole effort in. An incredible way to not only introduce the album, but to show the path of what is to come later on.
Whilst the band themselves aren’t wholly instrumental, the vocals in All Things Shining aren’t used in the traditional means to structure the tracks into verse, chorus, verse, chorus, etc. Instead, the band opt for treating Jakob Hemstrom’s vocals as another instrument amongst the guitars and drums. Actual lyrical excerpts are sparsely placed, especially in tracks like “Swans In A Field,” more commonly used to back up the guitars utilised to build suspense.
Finishing the album on the seven-minute goliath that is “Memorabilia” was a bold choice for the band, but it pays off so well. Starting off low and moody, the drumming takes the centrestage, featuring a phenomenal, intricate display from Oskar Nilsson. This crisp drumbeat is soon replaced by a fog of hazy guitars, reminiscent of artists like Russian Circles.
At this point the band are in full sway of things and you can tell just by the momentum that the band are jamming together, perfectly in sync with each other. There’s no competing for best instrumentalist, just working as a single body.
It really feels as if Post-Rock as a movement is making a comeback in 2024, with artists such as Oh Hiroshima and A Burial At Sea creating such complex, thought-provoking soundscapes like in All Things Shining, it really feels like something new and innovative is coming through to the scene.
Oh Hiroshima, are the perfect encapsulation of this. There’s no perceived arrogance or elitism coming forth from the music. Just music for music’s sake, which compliments the album perfectly.
Buy the album here:
https://orcd.co/ohhiroshima-ats
8 / 10
CHARLIE HILL