Oh Hiroshima: All Things Shining
Swedish outfit OH HIROSHIMA have come a long way since the release of 2011’s debut full-length effort Resistance Is Futile, confidently building on those foundations over the last decade to become a prominent figure in the post-rock scene. What was once a quartet now remains as the brotherly duo of Jakob Hemström and Oskar Nilsson. Whilst this change has taken some acclimating, the pair have really hit their stride with the freshly released All Things Shining.
“We feel like we’ve turned up the pace a bit for the band and are in this state where we feel very creative and want to keep that momentum going,” explains Jakob. “As soon as Myriad (2022) was released we started writing for the new album. We took steps in a new direction and incorporated a lot of different styles into the music, which on some level have always been there but we wanted to make sure they shine through. It was very different to jamming with more people and kind of piecing songs together on the spot in a rehearsal space. This time we would bring ideas to each other and see how we could contribute around that structure. Sometimes you miss the collaborative aspect but this way there is a lot more creative freedom.”
All Things Shining shows a clear evolution in the development of their signature expansive sound, sprinkling many flavours of varying instrumentation into the mix to broaden their already colourful offering. Particular consideration has been given to the inclusion of vocals. “In the past we wrote the instrumental parts first and looked at where we could add vocal parts to enhance the songs,” discusses Jakob. “I think this was the first time that we wrote parts with vocals in mind and the intention of adding them in. I would hum melodies alongside my guitar playing, I wanted the vocals to take more space in the arrangement. The opportunities to play live with this project have been quite limited but we’re keen to get out and play shows and festivals and it’s enjoyable to play songs with more vocals.”
Post-rock is synonymous with sprawling soundscapes and vivid textures. Some artists prefer utilising fewer songs with a more extensive runtime and others prefer to segment their creations into more compact chapters, particularly if a theme or concept is tying them all together. This is another factor which OH HIROSHIMA give considerable consideration to during their writing process.
“In the past we have aimed to write a select amount of tracks but this time we had probably more than double the amount of material that ended up on the album,” admits Jakob. “Some of the material was written even before Myriad that we felt didn’t really fit the vision we were aiming for. This time it felt like a natural fit to introduce them to the collection. I don’t usually focus on a common thread or concept when writing lyrics but when you put the overall product together and the song titles there is usually something which connects it all together. If you’re in a certain mindset when you’re writing then that can pour into your creations and this time round it all revolves around the theme of maintaining your youthfulness, trying not to become old and cynical, trying to make sure the world retains its spark and wonder.”
Constructing compositions of this stature includes a lot of choreography and careful placement to ensure that the abundance of layers slot seamlessly into the overall picture and don’t get lost or overpowered in the arrangement. Jakob has a particular skill at his disposal that would certainly make a lot of creative minds envious. “An idea is usually formed by me just fiddling around with an acoustic guitar whilst sat at home on my couch. I’ll record it on my phone, and I have hundreds of these short clips, then you see how you can expand on that idea. I can usually envisage what instruments should accompany in my head so a lot of my writing is in my imagination. I’ll then make a demo and move the parts around to see where we can take it.”
All Things Shining is out now via Pelagic Records.
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