The band ELYJAH was founded in late 2004 in Berlin and started with a split release with THALIJA. At that time, listeners were treated to classic instrumental post-rock. The trio, consisting of bass, drums, and guitar, already impressed with this release and now follows up with their debut album "Planet, Planet." ++++ On "Planet, Planet," the band successfully balances their roots in instrumental post-rock while also incorporating more influences from indie and progressive than ever before. The absolute highlight of this record is the vocals by guitarist Robert Oeser, who sounds so wonderfully British that one might suspect this could be a release from the island. ++++ The 10 tracks, spanning just over 50 minutes, impress with their complexity and variety, ensuring that the album cannot be fully grasped even after multiple listens. Many arcs of tension are created in the interplay of calm, instrumental passages, playful interludes, and raw, straightforward rocking guitar riffs. All of this creates a structure of dynamics, melody, breaks, and tempo changes, supported by the aforementioned use of a calm, leading vocal line that only rises when the driving music allows or expects it. So, it never gets boring here. Musically, ELYJAH impresses on a broad front – no failures and perfectly executed creativity. ++++ The choice of packaging is also creative. While the booklet doesn’t provide much information, it does evoke curiosity and awe at the playfulness and hint of madness. To make their work even more appealing (to potential buyers), the centimeter-thick booklet, consisting of unprinted pages, has been shot with shotgun pellets. Somewhere inside is the CD and a wonderful black-and-white photo of the band, where the gentlemen pose in gentlemanly suits fresh from a hunt. A nice touch. ++++ Overall, a lovely release that should generally appeal to anyone devoted to the genres of post-rock, indie, and progressive.
