Efterklang
Barbican

DANISH indie-pop oddities Efterklang appear to be wearing PJs as they take to the stage — and no wonder, their music is about as hygge as it gets.

This year marks the band’s 20th year since the release of first album Tripper and tonight’s performance, their fifth at the Barbican, kick starts the beginning of an international tour for latest release Things We Have In Common.

Certainly their charming frontman Casper Clausen, whose serene smile seems permanently fixed, wastes no time in promoting it as he brandishes vinyl copies on stage, and at one point even flies a flag emblazoned with the words of the album’s title.

But if you can overlook the odd moments of corn, and Clausen's occasional displays of evangelical rapture, there’s beauty in their unique approach to music and instrumentation.

Clausen’s vocals harmonise like the Beach Boys and are no better showcased than on openers Dreams Today, from their breakthrough album Piramida, and Alike off of Magic Chairs. He’s also somewhat of a musical maverick as he performs songs through a sci-fi looking Soma Pipe — a mouth-controlled FX processor and synthesiser that produces otherworldly sounds through voice and breath.

There’s even a moment when Efterklang almost become German experimental-industrial group Einsterzende Neubauten as Clausen joins in with drummer Tatu Ronkko by banging the legs of a metal stool above his head.

Things We Have In Common is a worthy edition to the canon and we’re treated to almost every track off it, but the best ones are those in collaboration with cellist Mabe Fratti — in particular Balancing Stones. She joins the band onstage as a guest, alongside multi-instrumentalist Hector Tosta, after their group Titanic perform as support.

Another special guest is Efterklang OG Rune Molgaard, who has returned to the fold as a co-songwriter on the new album, and is warmly introduced before singing Leave It All Behind, while Animated Heart has Clausen at his most Wayne Coyne.

During the encore, Clausen enters the crowd for the uplifting Living Other Lives before the whole band join him for a quiet acoustic sing-along with the audience of Getting Reminders. A very hygge end to a very hygge evening.

For more information see: efterklang.net