Päfgens - Westend (2026)
By Flork
Having previously reviewed Päfgens‘ earlier recording Aspect of What, I was happy to get the chance to review their follow-up Westend,
which was released just a little while ago on May 1st. The latest
effort by the Berlin-based Slovak duo Jana Drábeková Kočišová and Filip
Drábek immediately makes a visual impact before the first note even
plays. The album cover is truly amazing: a stark, black-and-white image
that resembles a waterfall crashing at the bottom of a deep, secluded
cave. Still, there is a cosmic quality to the composition, since it
simultaneously looks as though we are peering directly into the center
of the universe. And if I were to make any comparisons, this duality of
the subterranean and the celestial perfectly mirrors the music within,
which has evolved from their lo-fi shoegaze roots into immersive,
ethereal soundscapes that feel both haunting and foreboding.
The album opens with Poprad,
a track that perfectly captures the bleak, yet beautiful aesthetic of
its namesake city in the northeast of Slovakia. Set against a backdrop
of drone-shoegaze fuzz, Jana‘s voice is remarkably gentle, though it
carries a cutting sense of irony as she sings, everyone you know will
leave.. and you can do anything about it. Much like the industrial
paneláky standing in the shadow of the majestic High Tatras, the song
finds a strange grace in the intersection of the mundane and the
melancholy. This momentum carries into Water is Tired, where light guitar riffs and subtle organ-like swells create a shimmering reverb, followed by the third track Raindrops.
This track serves as a standout showcase for Janka‘s guitar work. Here,
high-note strumming dances over low, resonant bass tones, mimicking the
sound of a distant breeze or waves crashing against a quiet, forgotten
shore.
As the record progresses, it becomes clear that this is a
collection designed for deep immersion, the perfect companion for
getting lost in a good book or shutting one‘s eyes to drift into a vivid
daydream. Something is Broken, the album‘s longest piece at five
and a half minutes, begins with a startling thunderclap that quickly
dissolves into a meditative rainfall, like being inside a cozy space
filled with a Hygge-vibe and finding solace and security from the storm
outside. Päfgens find their greatest strength in the simplicity
of the chords and riffs that Filip encounters with no necessity to look
for them. Whether it is the darker, ethereal weight of Pain,
which feels more like a haunting instrumental despite Jana‘s light vocal
accompaniment, or the deeply personal touches found in Any longer, This is our lovesong for you, and VKD,
the instrumentation remains uncomplicated, yet emotionally resonant.
The inclusion of Filip‘s grandmother‘s voice on the album adds a layer
of intimacy, grounding the ethereal sounds in a personal, human history.
Each chord is played with a deliberate focus on the "feel" of the
sound, proving that two people can create a universe of sound without
the need of drums or a drum machine.
The journey concludes with Westend, an entirely
instrumental track that feels like a sonic lullaby designed to settle
the soul. It is the musical equivalent of lying in a meadow, watching
clouds and birds drift by while soft, reverbed guitars hum in the
distance. While much of the album flirts with shadows and the foreboding
nature of the drone, this finale clears the air entirely, leaving the
listener in a state of quiet, sun-drenched optimism. By stripping away
the frantic pace of modern music, Päfgens has crafted something
that feels timeless and deeply restorative. It is a rare record that
manages to be both ghost-like and grounding at the same time, turning
domestic exercises into high art.
And the Flork's prognosis? I am
blown away by the beauty of this release and the growth the duo has
shown since their last project. There is a quiet confidence in how they
let their loops breathe, trusting that the listener will follow them
into these hazy, drumless voids. They have managed to capture the
specific loneliness of Eastern European landscapes and turn it into
something universal and warm. Beautifully composed and well-written,
this is an essential listen for anyone seeking beauty in the atmospheric
depths.
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