REVIEWSWhen Saints Go Machine, ‘Konkylie’

8

• SPIN Rating:8 of 10

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Release Date: June 21, 2011
Label: !K7

With his unnerving falsetto, Nikolaj Manuel Vonsild, frontman for this mesmerizing Denmark quartet, suggests an exotic creature who's fallen to earth, while his bandmates fashion a deliciously minimal version of synth pop that evokes Low-era Bowie. "Parix" and the title track ("Conch shell" in Danish) trace the ghostly outlines of lush epics, with oblique lyrics about mortality and loss amplifying a sense of unease throughout. The creepily alluring "Whoever Made You Stand So Still" could trigger a full-on panic attack.