Treefight For Sunlight

Artist: Treefight For Sunlight
Title: A Collection Of Vibrations For Your Skull
Label: Bella Union
Rating: 8.0

A Collection Of Vibrations For Your Skull, the debut full-length from Danish sun-pop princes Treefight For Sunlight, contains the kind of joyous vocal harmonies that you can’t help but fall in love with. It’s worth noting that TFS bear more than a passing similarity to their Danish contemporaries Mew; both bands favor sweetly-sung verses, epic, multi-voiced choruses, interesting arrangements, and a kind of hyper-melodicism that has become a trademark of Scandinavian pop. Indeed, standout tracks from ACOVFYS such as the tumbling, inspired “The Universe Is A Woman” hearken back to spirited adventures like “The Zookeeper’s Boy” from Mew’s 2005 release, And The Glass Handed Kites.

Other highlights include pop gem “Facing The Sun” a charming blend of acoustic guitars, plunky piano and falsetto voices, the Beach Boys-meets-MGMT vibe of “You And The New World”, and the decidedly Queen-like charm of “Riddles And Rhymes”, which would have made a great 1970’s television theme song.

Occasionally, ACOVFYS strays from itself; closing track “Time Stretcher” is a long slog, and the spooky maunderings of “Tamberhinocerous Jam” feel a bit unnecessary, but for the majority of their 10-song debut, Treefight For Sunlight do resplendent, enchanting pop, and they do it well.

-Cole MacKinnon