With their second album Parades, Efterklang were responsible for one of 2007’s greatest records. It was a stunning, sprawling masterpiece, and left them with a hell of a standard to live up to. Magic Chairs doesn’t quite hit the same dizzying heights, but that’s not to their discredit, because it can still stand in its own right as a pretty impressive record. The songs are more instant, but don’t be fooled that this is some sort of cop-out. The instrumentation is as subtly intricate as ever, even within the confines of the slightly more conventional song structures. The best moments of the album ooze a majestic beauty. Full Moon, with it’s tense strings and creepy choral backing, and the gently swaying Harmonics are up there with their best work. However, the album can also occasionally drift into an uncharacteristic inconsequentiality, and at its lowest point (namely The Soft Beating) it leaves the unfortunate impression that you’re listening to Coldplay trying to sound like Sigur Ros. In spite of its flaws though, Magic Chairs should enthral more than it disappoints, and really, the very fact that anybody could be disappointed by it just illustrates what a special band Efterklang are.
4/5
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