Diamond Grid
The duo, consisting of Copenhagen-based Stine Grøn (vocals) and Adi Zukanović (keyboards), have conjured up a remarkable dream pop album that reaches for the stars and beyond without losing touch with the earth beneath our feet. Though recorded in Copenhagen Diamond Grid sees IRAH travelling across a multitude of musical traditions, states of mind, and spiritual dimensions.
Throughout Diamond Grid there’s both contemporary themes and sounds while an undercurrent of ageless and transcendental spirituality flows through everything, a duality also to be find in the album title itself.
Stine Grøn’s vocal range stretches from the beautiful and sensitive on the album opener “Dream Self” to the primordial chanting of the second cut “Siu Hinama”, carried forth by the atmospheric synthesizers of Adi Zukanović and compelling drumming of Seb Rochford (Polar Bear, Patti Smith, Brian Eno).
Lyrically the album deals with existential crises both on a human and political level influencing our lifeworld. As sung in Polluted Hearts: “Governments/ Polluted hearts/ Blowing up our childhood” and “Dark men in control/Hunted each moment/They will rule without heart”or in Cinematic: “Don't take away their home/You don't own it/It's in his spirit/Don't take away their dads/So systematic”.
However, in IRAH’s universe there’s always the possibility of oneness in love or spirituality even though we seem to be captured in a dualistic world. In “Worship the Sun” Stine sings “Let's forget the things we've been taught/Activate the brain within our heart/ Worship the Sun/ Worship the Moon/ Worship its cosmic influences”
For Stine and Adi IRAH is a creative safe haven in opposition to the hectic modern life. Most of Diamond Grid has been written via improvisational methods in the studio where they find collective musical energy; also one of the reasons why their songs stray from the common structures and ‘quick fix’-nature of most commercial music as they allow the music to organically grow, taking the time it needs in order to do so.
Besides the contribution of Seb Rochford Diamond Gridalso sees performances from Fredrik Lundin (flute) and Mathias Wolf Andreasen (drums on lead single “Unity of Gods”). The album is produced by IRAH in collaboration with fellow Dane Mads Brinch Nielsen and the artwork is created by visual artist Jakob Steen - who is also Stine Grøn’s life companion.
