Choir of Young Believers aren’t a throng of Christian rock prodigies
looking for a way to speak to the heavens. They’re an orchestral pop
group centered on Denmark’s Jannis Noya Makrigiannis, the brains behind
this collective of musician friends. Makrigiannis’ crystal-clear voice
echoes throughout the album, paired with cello, horns, bells, guitar
and piano. Everything on This Is for the White in Your Eyes sounds grand, as if the music is sweeping through an endless hallway.
The album fuses classical music influences with modern styles.
“Action/Reaction” mixes traditional with exotic, blending euphoric
harmonies with syncopated drumming. On “Claustrophobia,” a
reverb-loaded, haunting background offsets the sweet repetition of the
song’s title. Makrigiannis’ stark crooning and a faraway-sounding piano
on “Under the Moon” stretch out like Jell-O melting in the sunlight.
Short bursts of warm cello, subtle vocal layers, gentle but firm drum
hits — Choir of Young Believers have the details down. —
Danielle Sills
This article appears in Aug 19-25, 2009.
