ThunderRadio Music Review
Artist: Under Byen
Album: Samme Stof Som Stof
Label: PaperBag 2006
One day in 1995, two friends, Katrine Stochholm and Henritte Sennenvaldt, were biking together in Denmark when the idea of what was to later become Under Byen was born.
The group’s name, pronounced Oh’nah-Boon, is Danish for “Under The City” and comes from a song they developed when they were starting out as a band.
Under Byen has released quite an impressive discography: three full fledged albums, two EPs, two remix albums and even a soundtrack to a movie.
This year they will release their first album in North America, Samme Stof Som Stof, from a small independent record label know as PaperBag Records out of Toronto, Ontario.
Simply put, their music is amazing.
That small, humble idea has grown into a tremendous project that has engulfed the lives of those two bike riders and six other members.
The band consists of vocals that are a sweet intermingling of extravagant Björk-styled vocals, homely Joanna Newsom song craft and instrumentals that take on a playful youth mentality much like the music of electronica wizards Psapp.
The instruments that show up on the record are no easy undertaking, consisting of violin, guitar, drums, cello, accordion, harmonica and organs. They even credit one member with playing the saw.
The music seems to wander around slightly and fade in and out, dancing in the spotlight for a while then retreating back into the shadows.
Samme Stof Som Stof, which means “Same Fabric as Fabric,” is sung in Danish — like their previous albums — and this only adds to its allure.
For anyone who wants to listen, Under Byen’s entire album can be streamed online at paperbagrecords.com/player.