A few weeks ago, Copenhagen-based Efterklang (@efterklang) released their fourth LP entitled Piramida, which shares a name with the place from which its inspiration was derived — an abandoned Russian mining settlement about 600 miles from the North Pole. A little over a year ago, the band’s three core members spent nine days exploring the ghost town and collecting audio and video snippets to piece together and form the heart of Piramida. Watch a short but rather incredible video of the audio collection here (it’s definitely worth seeing before you watch the music video).
On October 1st, Efterklang released their music video for “Apples”, which is constructed out of bits of the documentation from the band’s 2011 expedition. I have to admit, I’m a huge sucker for ghost towns, but this video is particularly affecting, especially when you’re aware of the origin of the footage. The cold, deserted essence of Piramida is hauntingly sad and beautiful. Even better, the images are projected with a dreamlike eeriness across the bare backs, torsos, and faces of the musicians.
This music video is a huge standout for me. The immense amount of artistry put into it and the creators’ delicate awareness of the poignancy of the town of Piramida are obvious. Something like this reminds me of how incredible music can be.
