The Deer Tracks - Archer Trilogy Pt. 2

If you’ve turned up late to this particular party, The Deer Tracks duo record their music in a remote cabin – a sort of D.I.Y. otherworldly venue for their haunting tunes. ‘Archer Trilogy Pt. 2’ is, unsurprisingly, the second part of a trilogy: ‘The Archer’.

Throughout, the melodies are as you would expect: beautiful, but sometimes lacking the punch that their earlier material brought to the table - especially in the latter half of the album. The narrative and melodic arc of each song works nicely, although one might wish the format had been experimented with a bit more. The Deer Tracks can be deceptive - and repeated listening does not always reveal the richer and hidden depths one might have hoped for.

Having one male and one female voice, though it sounds unusual to have to state, is a pleasantly refreshing approach and does its small part to set their work just slightly apart from those also taking up elbow room in the genre. The harmonies between Lindfors and Lehnberg offer an intimacy to reflect their log cabin isolation, and yet also expose the rich expansiveness of the melodies. Their wilful experimentation removes them from wholesale pop, but many of the tunes have that ‘didn’t I hear this on an advert?’ vibe of easy recognition and inoffensive hooks.

This is not to draw attention away from the strengths of the album. It reminds us once again of how music can draw the atmosphere of its environment; not since Sigur Ros’ early releases have we been treated to this blend of Scandinavian subtlety and melancholia. Unfortunately this does not quite live up to expectations. There is still plenty to look forward to in the third part of the trilogy, though.