So much stuff to potentially write about and so little time to do so. I had already wanted to cover this doubly whammy of releases by Edena Gardens at some point between getting both of them in the mail and their show at Esbjerg Fuzztival, but with A Colossal Weekend and other duties inbetween there was just no chance to do it.
Unfortunately their live show couldn't be the whole experience, because one of the three members was missing due to sickness, so talking about those albums now has a certain bittersweet overtone.
Unfortunately their live show couldn't be the whole experience, because one of the three members was missing due to sickness, so talking about those albums now has a certain bittersweet overtone.
EDENA GARDENS - Agar (LP) (2023)
"Agar" is the second studio work of the Danish trio, which consists of Causa Sui drummer Jakob Skøtt, his partner in crime in the London Odense Ensemble and obviously the duo and trio with their names in it, Martin Rude on bass, and Papir guitarist Nicklas Sørensen.
I described the self-titled debut as the meeting point of Causa Sui's "Szabodelico" and Dylan Carlson's Earth - and that is still the road Edena Gardens are exploring here.
They still lean into a relaxed mode of psychedelic Americana with the occasional bit which very subtly is a little more jazzy or Latin. And if a broader and lighter Post Rock atmosphere sets in they won't say no to it either. All in all however most of "Agar" still is a cool and twangy guitar-driven affair.
In the finale of "Crescent Helix" Edena Gardens are hinting that they could take this to much wilder places, but even in the excess still decidely show restraint, only going as far as possible without breaking the mood.
As unwinding as this sound, which noticeably doesn't copy the members' other bands, is - it also comes with enough musical intrigue to keep you excited all the way through.
If "Agar" does this better than the debut? Don't ask me... probably. But once you get into this band it's very likely that you'll want to have both studio albums anyway.
Top of the El Paraiso Records roster stuff!
I described the self-titled debut as the meeting point of Causa Sui's "Szabodelico" and Dylan Carlson's Earth - and that is still the road Edena Gardens are exploring here.
They still lean into a relaxed mode of psychedelic Americana with the occasional bit which very subtly is a little more jazzy or Latin. And if a broader and lighter Post Rock atmosphere sets in they won't say no to it either. All in all however most of "Agar" still is a cool and twangy guitar-driven affair.
In the finale of "Crescent Helix" Edena Gardens are hinting that they could take this to much wilder places, but even in the excess still decidely show restraint, only going as far as possible without breaking the mood.
As unwinding as this sound, which noticeably doesn't copy the members' other bands, is - it also comes with enough musical intrigue to keep you excited all the way through.
If "Agar" does this better than the debut? Don't ask me... probably. But once you get into this band it's very likely that you'll want to have both studio albums anyway.
Top of the El Paraiso Records roster stuff!
EDENA GARDENS - Live Momentum (LP) (2023)
One song from the debut ("Now Here Nowhere") and one from "Agar" ("The Veil"), both being shorter than their studio versions. That's the first hint that Edena Gardens's live show goes into a more extroverted direction - at least if all three members are on stage, which was the case at their very first performance at Jaiyede Jazz Festival in Odense in October 2022. And exactly that performance has been pressed on vinyl here.
The extra step they promised towards the end of the "Agar" record - now they are fully taking it. Or to quote the hype text on the OBI strip: "Edena Gardens are not all about musical meditation, but they also know how to rock." That's it. Hard to add anything to that - or even write a whole review about stuff - when you already have the meat right there.
The whole B side belongs to seventeen minutes of improvised "Live Momemtum", which presents the trio at their most funky, playful, deconstructing and reconstructing. Yes, it's pretty far off the premise the two studio albums have established, but damn, it's a great eventfully sprawling Rock jam!
What these dudes can cook up on the spot is just amazing. Lots of experience and chemistry there.
Together these two albums really are two equally valuable sides of a coin. And even though I avoid cash when in Denmark, because I don't want to go through the hassle of exchanging Euro for DKK - I gladly take this acoustic currency.
The extra step they promised towards the end of the "Agar" record - now they are fully taking it. Or to quote the hype text on the OBI strip: "Edena Gardens are not all about musical meditation, but they also know how to rock." That's it. Hard to add anything to that - or even write a whole review about stuff - when you already have the meat right there.
The whole B side belongs to seventeen minutes of improvised "Live Momemtum", which presents the trio at their most funky, playful, deconstructing and reconstructing. Yes, it's pretty far off the premise the two studio albums have established, but damn, it's a great eventfully sprawling Rock jam!
What these dudes can cook up on the spot is just amazing. Lots of experience and chemistry there.
Together these two albums really are two equally valuable sides of a coin. And even though I avoid cash when in Denmark, because I don't want to go through the hassle of exchanging Euro for DKK - I gladly take this acoustic currency.
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