The Swedish band Junip, fronted by Argentinian-born Jose Gonzalez, were greeted with an enthusiastic reception from a sold-out crowd at the Larimer Lounge on Thursday night. The group performed as a five-piece — along with core members Tobias Winterkorn on an array of synths and drummer Elias Araya were a bassist and an additional percussionist/multi-instrumentalist.
They began things slowly with a steady drum beat that flowered into “Black Refuge,” the title track from their 2006 EP, and “White Rain,” from their current release. Packed as close to the stage as would allow, all eyes were upon Gonzalez, front and center, as he finger-picked and rhythmically strummed his classical, nylon string guitar.
Paradoxically, the band presented themselves — much as their music does — with a cool detachment that still offers the warmth of intimacy.
Junip also offers the ideal mix of analog and digital. Acoustic drums mix with digital beats and spacey moog synth sounds that slowly crescendo from Winterkorn’s deft keyboard work. With repetitive grooves as exemplified by tracks “Sweet and Bitter” and “Rope and Summit” (both from their “Fields” LP), the band coasts along gentle, yet propulsive beats. They slowly build tension while Gonzalez’s airy, seductive vocals provide delicate melodies.
With near-flawless precision and a perfect sound mix, Junip’s set was often quite hypnotic. The audience were clearly rapt with the Krautrock stylings of “At The Doors,” which, apart from Gonzalez’s reedy vocals, could pass for a track from classic genre group Neu! And it was impossible not to be drawn in by the steady, smart kick-drum beat and swirling synth lines underlying Gonzalez’s guitar work and plaintive vocals during “Without You.”
The band closed with the uptempo, danceable “In Every Direction” before coming back to even wilder cheers from the crowd to perform a two-song encore consisting of “Tight” and the wonderfully catchy “Always.” Offering polite smiles and gracious thanks, Gonzalez and company left — just like that.
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Michael Behrenhausen is a Denver-based writer, and regular Reverb contributor. The worst crime he ever did was play some rock ‘n’ roll.
