Eighteen years into ornate, orchestral, instrumental ambiguity, My Education adds an unhinged edge. Eighth full-length Schiphol pushes the locals’ cinematic sprawl past trademark sonic borders into throbbing enormity. Chamber rock never sounded so refined and feral all at once. “Coordinates” starts off twinkling, then crashes a tense violin line over cacophonous drums and shrill, distorted guitar. Middle tracks “Class A” and “Krampus” both shudder with heavy rock influences, while moments of hopefulness introduce “This Time Let’s Rock” before it spirals off into a foreboding tangle. Eventually petering out into the airy “Grey An” and piano-driven closer “Reprise,” Schiphol ends on a gentle note, a far cry from its vaguely disjointed, midsection madness. Even so, all nine tracks oscillate between prettiness and gritty dread, a darkness seeping into each cut.
This article appears in March 31 • 2017.