Stockholm trio Grapell specialize in spacey indie-pop. Spacey, in this case, refers to both the solar unknown and actually large spaces. Just signed to Swedish label Strangers Candy in April, Grapell show with “White Fox in the Snow” that they’re highly capable of stirring, anthemic-ready hooks that resonate with crisp production and eerie vocal leads. A sliding synth begins the track over a slight cathedral organ, meshing sci-fi elements with the naturalistic and historical to create a wonderfully contrasting stylized hybrid. The vocals creep forward at an operatic tone, half-weeping and half-complacent; comparisons to Thom Yorke in the vocal spectrum aren’t too far off. “No one knows you like I do, when I put my hands on you,” the vocals cry out, as an arp-y lead hazily floats in and out, like an intermittent romantic accompaniment at a Mediterranean lounge. The percussion adds a touch of rhythmic hip-hop, and its tendency to appear and disappear creates a feeling of suspense that Grapell take full advantage off. Grapell’s “White Fox in the Snow” is an exotic, gripping effort that shows this Stockholm trio as something to keep an eye on. Look for an EP in mid-June.
