Mind on Vacation is the debut release from Hanover, Germany-based project Ever Else Ends, spearheaded by guitarist and songwriter Nils Boden. With this three-track offering, Boden reimagines post-rock’s modernist tendencies through a meticulously crafted sonic palette. His richly layered instrumentation and thoughtful use of effects create a spacious, rhythmically engaging, and texturally immersive soundscape. The result is an intuitively cinematic and sonically expansive collection that stands out within the genre, pushing beyond the conventional boundaries embraced by many contemporaries. Boden’s approach seamlessly merges self-propelled rock energy, hypnotic reverie, and an element of seduction.
The opener, “Seven Years Too Late,” builds from a restrained beginning, anchored by a simple guitar vamp that is complemented by deep bass tones and complex rhythmic flourishes. At the two-minute mark, the track bursts into motion, with clashing guitars taking the foreground. Beneath them, punchy tom-toms and crashing cymbals amplify the intensity. Over its 13-minute duration, the composition evolves through interlocking grooves, which form a platform for distorted guitars to unleash chaotic energy. The balance of structure and disorder is expertly handled.
“Destination Imaginations” wastes no time, erupting almost immediately with a suffocating wall of snarling guitars. These textures evoke a stark, unyielding coldness, threading through the track’s structure like a pervasive chill. The music unfolds in movements rather than discrete tracks, with each passage naturally transitioning into the next. This creates a sense of flow that feels as if it’s leading listeners through a vast, industrial soundscape. Boden opts for a raw, open production style, amplifying the mid-range growl of the guitars and giving the drums an overdriven quality that makes them feel live and immediate. The result is a sonic aesthetic that feels as though it was crafted in the cavernous expanse of an abandoned factory.
As the minutes tick away on Mind on Vacation, Boden demonstrates an exceptional command of dynamics, transitioning seamlessly between thunderous, explosive sections and moments of delicate introspection. Nowhere is this more evident than on the closing track, “This Road Heads Home.” Spanning 15 minutes, it integrates chugging metal riffs, swarming feedback, and crashing, panoramic drum patterns. Boden layers bulky bass lines beneath atmospheric guitars that ascend dramatically, building toward a climactic squall of screeching feedback. Despite its ambitious range of ideas, the track never feels disjointed; instead, it radiates purpose and conviction throughout.
Rough, explosive, yet masterfully controlled, Ever Else Ends’ Mind on Vacation is a compelling addition to the post-rock genre’s ever-expanding repertoire. Boden’s vision and execution deliver a statement of depth, energy, and innovation, proving that the genre remains fertile ground for fresh, impactful ideas.
Check out Mind on Vacation on Bandcamp.
Rough, explosive, yet masterfully controlled, Ever Else Ends’ "Mind on Vacation" is a compelling addition to the post-rock genre’s ever-expanding repertoire.
