You may know him as the mastermind behind the score of the Tony Award winning musical Spring Awakening. Or, perhaps his name strikes a chord because of his 1996 smash hit single, “Barely Breathing.” Either way, Duncan Sheik is heading back into the spotlight.
Whisper House is Sheik’s first release since 2006–a post-World War II themed tale of one lonely young boy’s melancholic ruminations, lighthouses, and ghostly encounters. As a result, the album’s contents are similarly morbid; a brooding collection of electronica-tinged indie rock mid-tempos and woeful sea shanties that–within the album’s best moments (“We’re Here To Tell You,” “How It Feels”)—plays like a convincing Death Cab For Cutie cover of The Decemberists.
Though the storyline cannot be fully digested by merely listening to the album alone, the vaguely morbid melodies and simple, swaying sounds of each track are nonetheless catchy and enjoyable in their own right. Guest vocalist Holly Brooks adds a touch of whispered innocence into many of the album’s tracks, adding a nice contrast to Sheik’s sung vocals.
However, the music isn’t the only feature worth mentioning here–the album also comes packaged in a gorgeous digipak tri-fold, featuring a water-logged insert doubling as a story book illustration of the album’s plot in the vein of Lemony Snicket‘s A Series of Unfortunate Events.
To celebrate Sheik’s latest, release, MuuMuse is giving away one free copy of Duncan Sheik’s new album, Whisper House!
All you’ve got to do is send an e-mail to [email protected] with the subject line “Whisper House” for your chance to win!
Contest ends March 9. The winner will be selected randomly and e-mailed upon being chosen.