Einar Stray Orchestra

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“…just downright beautiful.” - The 405

Since the release of Einar Stray’s debut album Chiaroscuro, the Norwegian five-piece have become a critically acclaimed collective. However, their latest album Politricks was released under their new name, Einar Stray Orchestra, via Berlin based label Sinnbus.


Their last album gained critical acclaim in the UK, Europe and beyond with websites like The 405 awarding Einar Stray’s debut a whopping 9/10. In the meantime, the band were being asked to play festivals such as JaJaJa, Iceland Airwaves and Berlin Music Week - maintaining their cool, underground status whilst increasing an ever growing fan base. The band have been a main player in the underground scene, slowly simmering away and now ready to burst into the wider consciousness.

Growing up is one of the album’s main themes, which can be heard from the offset. Politricks begins with eerie eight minute track ‘Honey’ taking you on a journey of darkness and desperation. Second track and single, ’Politricks’, puts childhood beliefs and hero worship under the microscope, telling the story of a transition from innocent youth to the not-so-innocent adult world, dealing with disillusion and perception at the same time. The album then continues its journey, with stripped down tracks such as ‘For The Country’ and ‘Qualia’ introducing a more folk-like sound, not dissimilar to the likes of Iron and Wine and dominated by a heartfelt string section. In contrast, tracks like ‘Pockets Full of Holes’ and ‘Montreal’ reflect the happiness of adolescence with a stunning layering of instruments and unique time signatures.

The album is a tapestry of different emotions and the result of the journey Einar Stray has taken from humble indie beginnings to where they are now, Einar Stray Orchestra - a band with heart and substance, taking their underground status and rising beyond the sum of their parts.

Politricks is out now via Sinnbus/Rough Trade.