Delicate but lovely. Enjoy.
Machine Birds – Save Yourself EP (2012)
Most band names make no sense. Sometimes they derive from a drunken, witty comment. Other times it’s a place or memory taken from the members’ childhoods. And then there’s the ones based on an inside joke or back story that only the band and prying fans would know about. After listening to just one track I knew exactly why the Norwegian duo Marte Maaland Eberson and Maria Skranes call themselves Machine Birds. Eberson’s innovative, synthesized sounds is the machine that fuels the foundation to their tracks, while Skranes’ angelic vocals whisper into your ears like that of a song bird. Together it makes the perfect balance of excitement and delicacy you don’t want to end.
Speaking of ‘the end,’ the songs on Machine Birds’ newly released EP, Save Yourself, reflect on the aftermath of a relationship. ‘Time’ is all about trying to save a relationship, while ‘The Way it’s Meant to Be’ is about letting go of a relationship. And ‘Save Yourself,’ well, that’s about her cheating and begging him to save himself from her and their relationship. I know, pop songs about relationships… how stereotypical. But even though it might not seem like it, these aren’t the average pop songs. The vibe is dark and mysterious with experimental sounds and a whimsical anecdote that beats that ‘boppy’ feel any day. Layered over the electronically charged sounds, the angelic and airy vocals resonate a feeling of enlightenment amongst the darkness. So beautifully eerie, there’s no saving yourself from the captivating trance of these songbirds…