Kingfisher Sky – Rise

Kingfisher Sky
Rise
June 18, 2021
15:43

Kingfisher Sky are back. After the 2018 album “Technicoloured Eyes” and the acoustic cover EP “The Winter Sessions” (January 2021) now follows the studio EP “Rise”. About the date of formation there is quite different information. In the press release the year 2005 is mentioned. Several sources on the Internet say it would have been four years earlier, so in 2001 One thing is certain, the band was founded by ex-Within Temptation drummer (until 2001) Ivar de Graaf. However, the first songs were recorded in 2005 in their home studio. After seven songs were finished, they could sign a record deal with Suburban Records. The debut album “Hallway of Dreams” was released under this label in 2007. Three of the four albums released so far were released through this label. In the meantime, however, the Dutch distribute their albums and EPs on their own.

The (almost) title song “Rise Up” is right at the beginning of the EP. Here symphonic elements are skillfully combined with the band-typical progressive impact. Pleasant to hear that the strings are very well integrated into the overall sound. Outstanding is of course the singing of Judith Rijnveld. In “Rain On Your Parade” the folk influences come more strongly to bear. Later the keys dominate. Here the musicians thematize the dependencies between humans and earth. While humans need the earth to live, the earth can do quite well without humanity. More drama and cinematic broadband feeling can be heard in “The Grey Fields”. In “Fool’s Anthem” the keys can be heard again. Wafting, completely in the style of the good old Hammond. And yes, the song has an anthemic touch.

Four songs are on this EP, as they can hardly be more varied. Different melodies, rhythms and tempos are the trademark of any progressive music. However, Kingfisher Sky avoid these changes massively within a song. These sounds mostly like from one cast. But there are variations between the songs. Good for me, who doesn’t like the first so much. A worth hearing musical statement of the Dutch.

Rise Up – Kingfisher Sky – Official Lyric Video: https://youtu.be/3pye5V2JT7M

Lineup:

Judith Rijnveld – Vocals
Edo van der Kolk – Guitars
Ivar de Graaf – Drums
Erik van Ittersum – Keys
Nick Verschoor – Bass guitar
Maaike Peterse – Violoncello

Guest musician:

Ruben Margarita – Violin

Track list:

• Rise Up
• Rain On Your Parade
• The Grey Fields
• Fool’s Anthem