It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since chamber folk collective Oryx & Crake released their self-titled debut, a sprawling, mournful record that skirted the line between quiet intimacy and epic grandeur on its way to becoming one of 2010’s most venerated local albums. To say their follow-up LP, Marriage, is a highly-anticipated affair would be something of a broad understatement; for four years now the group has been tucked away in their home studio, carving and crafting, tweaking and tinkering, leaving fans to wonder if the record would ever be completed and released into the world. Even as the band dropped hints and clues on social media that the project was finally nearing completion — images of late night recording sessions and new collaborations, tweets about impending mixes and mastering services — it didn’t feel altogether real, more like a dim memory captured in a faded photograph.
But then the posts became more regular and a partnership with Deer Bear Wolf was struck. A formal release date was announced (September 25) and the album artwork was revealed. Shit, as they say, was happening.
Still, it wasn’t until yesterday when Oryx & Crake unveiled Marriage’s first single, “Hold Hands For Dry Land,” that everything crystallized and came together. Finally, evidence of new music was tangible, undeniable. Picking up, to a large degree, where their debut left off, the track finds the band operating largely in their chamber pop comfort zone, while finding ample space to layer in new wrinkles. The brooding atmospherics that marked their debut have—for the moment, at least—subsided in favor of a buoyant groove and big hooks. The tone is more vibrant, the music more effusive and upbeat, although the overriding sense of melancholy continues to linger throughout. Overall, it’s an impressive start, a stirring return for a band hoping to make the leap to the next level.
Check out “Hold Hands For Dry Land” now via PopMatters.
More Info
Web: oryx-and-crake.com
Bandcamp: oryxandcrake.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @oryxandcrakeband
Instagram: @oryxncrake
SoundCloud: @oryxandcrake
Twitter: @oryxncrake