Creating something cinematic, drenched in both hope and melancholia, Pijn has unveiled their second full length solo album, From Low Beams of Hope.  I was first struck by this band in 2019 via their collaborative release with Conjurer, and my admiration continues to grow.  As I listen to this album again and again, it is quickly becoming one of my favorites so far of 2024 and I discover something new to appreciate each time.  Utilizing a smattering of spoken word mixed with skilled instrumentals, the post-rock collective composes alluring movements with crashing drums, heavy riffs, violin, cello, saxophone, and more.  Their exploration of different techniques adds dynamics that teeters on the edge of metal while telling stories and keeping listeners engaged and in awe.

The album opens with “Our Endless Hours,” a poem backed by marching drumming, bass, and guitar, building and intensifying, adding in cello and violin as the song runs along and unfolds as it progresses.  Vocalization is heard before the spoken word comes back and this uplifting melody carries on. About halfway through, harder tones are introduced via riffs and guitar solos along with more aggressive drumming while still keeping the overall feel uplifting.  This track can easily bring me to tears with how beautiful and passionate it is.  It quiets towards the end with the focus back on the poetry as the words eventually end and atmospherics along with piano, a simple plucked guitar line, and violin closes everything out.   

Less prominent and more subtle spoken vocal moments are captured from the band’s touring and studio experiences consisting of intimate moments of chat, laughs, and camaraderie.  These can be found within softer, more melancholic moments on From Low Beams of Hope.  “Carved Expanse” takes on more of this tone while also providing soothing strings and perfectly evoking the kind of peace and catharsis that is felt in times of reflection or after a period of sorrow.  “On The Far Side Of Morning” immediately uplifts with a quicker tempo and spirited rhythms.  Saxophone is also heard on this track amplifying it to higher levels of enthrallment.  The album closes with “A Thousand Tired Lives” which wraps everything together in one homogenous, massive track.  It acts as the perfect closer and one of my favorites on the album.

Guitarist and producer Joe Clayton explains that the album was sparked by “an attempt to get perspective on the passage of life, thematically and sonically embracing our own experiences in an attempt to create something that can feel at once uplifting and exciting, vulnerable and reflective, yet was made in fragmented and difficult surroundings.”  This is clear in the ebb and flow of each track, which span between nine and twelve minutes, as well as the passionate performances from the band.  At times I am reminded of Explosions in the Sky and am now seeing why this album has me feeling airy and nostalgic while also grounded and in the present through the heavier movements.  From Low Beams of Hope is incredibly immersive and powerful.  It is one to fully sink your teeth into and let it surround and transport you to where you need to be.

— Angela

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From Low Beams Of Hope is available now via Floodlit Recordings.  For more information on Pijn, visit their Facebook page.