There’s something ethereal about a Nordic Giants performance. As the two imposing figures of Löki and Rôka take to the stage at Clwb Ifor Bach, the pair, decked out in costumes that make them look like mythical figures from an age long past or characters from Elden Ring, do not engage with the crowd. Instead, they let the incredible short films projected on a screen behind them do all the talking.
Each of the films, some created by the band, and others by filmmakers on the international festival scene are all given the live score treatment.
Recurring themes throughout the shorts include spiritualism, the quest for personal enlightenment, and the misery and perils of rampant consumerism.
Most of the films are new for the tour and accompany compositions from the Giant’s latest album, Symbiosis, although some fan favourites were included too. Most notably, Together which sees exerts from Martin Luthur King Jrs 1967 speech A Time to Break The Silence coupled with the phenomenal animated short Pencilhead, as well as the harrowing two-parter The Last Breath which book-ended the performance.
Other highlights included Steve Cutt’s Happiness mixed with the Giants’ track Illuminate, which saw anthropomorphic mice search for happiness in a literal rat race through a giant maze-like urban sprawl, the short for the duo’s latest single Faceless featuring Alex Headley, which sees a man escape from a media prison back into the wild via his armchair, and The Oscar-nominated short This Way Up, which saw a pair of hapless undertakers on a quest to take someone to their final resting place, coupled with the track illuminate crescendo of the piece and the epic conclusion of this brilliant short film sync up perfectly while feeling reminiscent of Gerard Scarfe’s marching hammers from The Wall.
Though the post-rock live score scene has picked up pace in recent years, Nordic Giants stand tall as one of the few acts that provide a truly immersive experience. Every element of a Nordic Giants show is meticulously constructed, from the lighting and the timing of the tracks that accompany each short film, to how each composition flows into the next. The result is a performance best described as intoxicating.
Come for the incredible tunes – stay for the award-winning shorts. If you have even a passing interest in Prog or post-rock or want to see one of the most unique acts touring today. You owe it to yourself to go and see Nordic Giants.