Splendour

After six years, three EPs, one album, countless shows and festivals, and multiple trips as far afield as Japan and the U.S., the Rehof brothers of Communions — Martin (vocals and guitar) and Mads (Bass) — have decided to restructure the band after the departure of their long-time bandmates.

While “Splendour” still features the contributions of ex-bandmates Jacob van Deurs Formann (guitar) and Frederik Lind Köppen (drums), Communions are now solely led by the Rehof brothers, Martin and Mads. With their brotherly musical connection at the center, the Rehof brothers have assembled a new five piece constellation going forwards.

Introducing the retrofitted Communions on Tambourhinoceros is the schizophrenic single “Splendour”, a song about “a sickly, unattainable love. One which possesses a destructive power.” Communions’ Martin Rehof sings of a “crowd of lovers” under the influence of a lust so intoxicating that it sends them “leaping in the grave”.

What begins in the tone of young, innocent adoration — “when fountains spring, soak her in” — transforms by the end of the song into one of destructive love; deception, ignorance and impurity.

Cupid’s slings 

Have gone and made you blind

And wilfully oblivious

To the lurking pain behind each 

Exquisite frame  

“I wouldn’t say that it’s necessarily about a specific person” says Martin Rehof, musing on the song’s multifarious meaning.  He continues:

“Rather, in a less concrete sense, it’s about the oppressive power that certain things in life can have over you. For instance, making art is something I love, but not something I feel I can help, and often it can be quite painful and fruitless. It’s like this thing, whatever it is, has chosen you, and not the other way around. It might inflict you with pain, but you almost come to enjoy it; you sort of accept it, embrace it, and maybe even thrive on it. It’s the context of someone addicted to someone or something else — where the power dynamics are skewed.” 

Musically, some elements of “Splendour” are skewed as well. “The guitar was recorded through a vocoder” says Martin, reflecting on what he calls a “schizophrenic” recording process; a process that was intended to reflect the song’s themes. And although the lyrics of “Splendour” transition from bright to dark, the Rehof brothers’ musical connection shines throughout, reminding us of Communions’ earnest spirit.