Rumpistol

“After the Flood”, the sixth album by veteran Danish musician and composer Jens B. Christiansen under his primary alias 'Rumpistol', is in many ways a turnaround from his previous efforts. After a career of over 15 years, mainly in the electronic music scene, a computer screen triggered burn-out led him to reinvent himself and his music-making methods. The resulting record turned out to be therapeutic as well as artistically rewarding for Jens, as he went back to his instrumental roots and composed the entirety of this album using the piano as the musical core.

“After the Flood” has an uplifting, ethereal quality to it, yet remains tangible, almost tactile, in its use of organic, non-electronic instruments and textures. As refreshingly new this musical direction is for a Rumpistol album, it’s also somewhat familiar-sounding to fans of the artist. The melodies seem to ebb and flow, undulating around each other in that particular Rumpistol way that point forward (and perhaps even upwards, celestially), yet evoking memories of past works. “After the Flood” isn’t merely music to casually relax to. Although the album sounds very pleasing to the ear, it’s an engaging and thought-provoking listening experience.