Soft Avalanche is a collaborative solo project formed by songwriter and producer Anders Ankerstjerne who is also a film sound designer out of Copenhagen. He released his debut single only in August and ‘Sleeper’ is the latest one.
I don’t know if it is the film work that his brought him into contact with some big names in the business but contributors to his work include members of Wild Pink and The War on Drugs among others and ‘Sleeper’ features a sax contribution by The War on Drugs’ Jon Natchez.
He describes it as “a hopeful but melancholic little tune.”
The way it opens I thought it might be a long-lost episode of The Waltons, all starry and spangly, or something from Disney, scored by Hans Zimmer, with children romping in the fields on the video, but it isn’t long before a strong synth dominated section comes in and then, unexpectedly, what you think is going to be a heavy duty piece quickly morphs into 1980s easy listening, light synth pop, the sort of thing Erasure might have recorded in their fluffier moments, or Orchestral Manouevres in the Dark, perhaps.
And there’s quite a catchy tune to it.
Both the song and the video ask more questions than they give answers. It appears to be a plea for clemency in a relationship from someone that has realised the error of his ways but fears it has come too late to make a difference.
The video doesn’t relate directly to such an outcome but by showing Anders (I guess it is he) growing up and making mistakes like accidentally slapping a younger sibling in the face, it helps to put it into context.
And I like the way the line “I know sometimes you get impatient” coincides with a homework session with mum and the following one, “I know this time I made you wait” does so with Anders looking at his watch. Such is the filmmaker’s skill on show.
The only little problem I have is that while the sax contribution plays it out nicely I thought it could have gone on to a second verse. You feel you want to know more. (Unless it will be part of a concept album in which the story unravels…)
Something else I found endearing is that the main acoustic guitar riff and percussion channel the one in Of Monsters and Men’s ‘Six weeks’, the story of Hugh Glass and one of my favourites by them; a nice bonus.
Anders Ankerstjerne: Vocals, guitars, bass, synthesisers and piano
Dan Bailey: Drums, percussion and sequencer
Jon Natchez: Alto, tenor and baritone saxophone
Find him on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/softavalanche
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/softavalanche/
Photo Credit: Clara Shahrazad Kokseby.
