Here’s the moody video for ‘Birds of Coloured Glass’ from Denmark’s Bjarke Ramsing. The song contemplates the rules of the music game while driving home from a gig and Ramsing reflects on the resolve of artists who manage to keep going.
Influenced by old American folk, blues and roots music, as well as his travels through Europe, Ramsing has developed an intriguing blend of styles and approaches his arrangements with ambition. In this, he is supported by a talented group of international musicians, including Dutch players Teun van Langen on double bass, Floris Venema on drums, Annelies Jonkers on violin and Ruud Fieten and Romee Cooler from Holi Fools providing harmonies. Keys are provided by Denmark’s Simon Krindel and Spanish Ari Bombari from Legiana also sings harmonies. Collectively, they help Ramsing create a full, sweeping sound and complex musical textures. From the initial, gently atmospheric guitar notes, the song builds steadily and effectively, in instrumental waves, into an epic arranged over nearly nine minutes. The backing and harmonies help give Ramsing’s smooth voice a haunting edge as he repeats variations of: “And keep it running // Running from the cold.” By the end, Jonkers’ violin soars as Ramsing’s voice becomes increasingly gritty.
Ramsing created the video in which he features as the moon. He told AUK: “I’m a major Mighty Boosh fan. So I build a miniature moving road landscape, put up a green screen and emptied around 2 canisters of shaving foam in my face!”
The adventurous ‘Birds of Coloured Glass’ will feature on Ramsing’s forthcoming album ‘Preachers of the Pines’ – one to watch out for. In the meantime, absorb this.
