Who killed Bambi have made three appearances in NMC but only as a support to the main artist, which has been respectively Victor Aage, Hvalfugl and, most recently, Mira Siegel, which was only a couple of weeks ago.
Who killed Bambi is a seven-piece string ensemble led by viola player and composer Mette Dahl Kristensen and is nothing whatsoever to do, as I’m sure you’ll be relieved to know, with the Irish Bambi Thug, the little darling pixie who queered the pitch for anything and anyone to do with the young fawn who is chosen to become the next prince of the forest, with her antics at Eurovision 2024.
Nor has it anything to do with French and Spanish films with that title, either.
It’s still a strange name, one shared with a British hardcore punk band, a song by Tenpole Tudor and an unfinished film project starring The Sex Pistols! So, a lot to live down to…
Their collaborative work with various artists which have included Rod Stewart, Ane Brun and Father John Misty, has often involved to stripping down and reimagining their music into string arrangements.
But the roles are reversed here with ‘Lilies’, where they have asked a singer and producer – the acclaimed Astrid Engberg – to work with them instead of the other way around, and indeed they have done with other artists on their forthcoming album.
Astrid wrote the lyrics for ‘Lilies’, out of which was built a grand string arrangement
There is a stark and ever so slightly awkward contrast for the opening minute between a sombre orchestral production that could be about to introduce a gravel-voiced radio presenter intoning “President Putin died in his sleep last night” (oh please) and a vocal Disney Showtime!
But then they merge into an intriguing production which flits between those strings and several voices almost like a piece of gospel music at times, recorded somewhere in downtown Memphis.
It is an extraordinary piece of music in that it encourages two diametrically different styles (possibly more) to coexist and even to represent a new one, which hasn’t got a name yet.
It isn’t easy to get your head around it at first. You’ll probably need to listen at least twice. But persevere with it. Be assured that alles will be klar.
Find them on:
Website: https://www.whokilledbambi.dk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bambistrings
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whokilledbambidk/
(Astrid Engberg):
Website: https://astridengberg.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astridengberg___/
