The idea of classical music combined with rock and a bit of dubstep is intriguing enough to give songs like “Aliantha”, released last month, a try. Sometimes, listeners are eased into this attention-grabbing combination of genres. Clocks and Clouds. however, simply throw us into the ride from the first note.

The Minneapolis-based trio have been working together since 2010 on a classical and electronic approach to the post-rock genre, combining drums, cello, and violin to create a heart-pounding experience in this single, released in July of this year. A hectic violin opens up the track, joined shortly after by an ominous keyboard that is supported by a heavy cello. The violin attempts to dispel some of the darkness with a lighter melody, but eventually it gets back into its hectic mode and is dragged back down by the keyboard and cello. This interplay continues throughout the four-minute run of this track, building up to its uncertain ending.

The song seems to be a journey from darkness to light, with the violins playing the role of a determined damsel in distress running through a dark forest, pursued by the keyboard and held back by the heavy branches of the cello. This would be a great soundtrack to such a scene, which ends with an ambiguous ending, the kind where we are not sure if the protagonist has been knocked out or has died.

With two EPs, Life Beyond Reason (2011) and The Creation of Matter (2013), under their belt, Stephanie Shogren (violin), Lucas Shogren (cello), and Derek Powers (drums) are currently recording a new album scheduled to be released in 2015. Their music can be streamed on SoundCloud. More information is available on their official website.

First published here on Blogcritics.
Published on Sahar’s Reviews in August 2015.