Norwegian art rock trio Dim Gray are set to release their new album, ‘Firmament’, on 2nd September. Three singles have been made available from it already, with a fourth to follow in mid-August.
Presenting twelve vivid, direct and melody-driven songs, ‘Firmament’ is bursting with life and colour and leads listeners through an intricate recipe of lush electronics, strings-infused chamber pop, evocative indie-folk and grandiose art rock. An ambitious artistic statement, the album will appeal to fans of artists such as Radiohead, Steven Wilson, Beach Boys and Agnes Obel. It is, quite simply, a rich and multi-layered creation of great beauty.
Having issued ‘Flown’ via their own Grim Day label, ‘Firmament’ will be released on Big Big Train’s English Electric Recordings label, with Gregory Spawton of BBT commenting: “Until now, the label has just been a vehicle for Big Big Train and BBT band members’ outside projects. We’ve been interested in expanding the label’s activities for some time but only wanted to do so when we came across a truly exciting band that we felt had something new to offer musically. When we were introduced to Dim Gray, we saw that the band had enormous potential and were very keen to sign them.”
DIM GRAY Oskar Holldorff - vocals, keyboards Håkon Høiberg - guitars, vocals Tom Ian Klungland - drums, vocals
Dim Gray recently supported Marillion in Stockholm and will play a set of European dates with Big Big Train in early September on which Holldorff will also be deputising for BBT keyboard player Carly Bryant.
Dim Gray is comprised of guitarist Håkon Høiberg, singer/keyboardist Oskar Holldorff and drummer Tom Ian Klungland. The trio hail from different places, both musically and geographically. However, upon moving to Oslo a decade ago to study, all three found each other and a bond of music and friendship was formed. They soon began writing and playing together.
All three members have contrasting musical backgrounds in genres as diverse as black metal, rock, blues, folk and film music, but the fusion of all these influences has created their own distinctive sound.
During the global pandemic of 2020, the band had used their time to issue several singles prior to the digital release of their debut album, ‘Flown’, a concept work that intertwined song narratives to deliver a continuous story relating a vivid tale of loss and loneliness so relevant to that time. Offering beautifully quiet, intimate moments offset by huge, colourful soundscapes, with twists and turns along the way, it was subsequently released on 2xLP and CD formats in 2021, receiving rave reviews.
FIRMAMENT
TRACKLISTING
1 Mare
2 Ashes
3 Undertow
4 Avalon | The Tide
5 52~
6 Abalus | In Time
7 Long Ago
8 My Barren Road
9 Cannons
10 Iron Henry
11 Firmament
12 Meridian