Rhine Gold (album)

Rhine Gold is the second studio album by Copenhagen-based Danish chamber pop band Choir of Young Believers, released in Europe on February 27, 2012, on Tigerspring and in the United States on March 20, 2012, on Ghostly International.

Critical reception
Rhine Gold received largely positive reviews from contemporary music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 77, based on 18 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".

Austin Trunick of Under the Radar praised the album, stating, "Rhine Gold manages to sound little like anything else that's arrived in recent years. With lead singer Makrigiannis' aloof vocals daringly clearing trails through swaths of rich synthesizer and grandiose orchestral pop accompaniment, it stealthily slips into a sea of cool detachment rarely heard since David Bowie's Berlin period, particularly in the funky outsider vibe given off on Low. At its most morose, it recalls the weary, sun-faded blues of Dennis Wilson's Pacific Ocean Blue. Riveting and unpredictable across multiple plays, Choir of Young Believers has expanded upon the blueprint outlined on their well-crafted first album and channeled it into a sophomore release that's really outstanding."

Eric Harvey of Pitchfork Media gave the album a positive review, stating, "Choir of Young Believers have created a singular sonic world all their own. They don't let you get comfortable for too long at a stretch, but their itchy curiosity is its own reward."

Personnel

 * Main personnel
 * Jannis Noya Makrigiannis – vocals, guitar, keyboard
 * Jakob Millung – bass, lap steel guitar, backing vocals
 * Cæcilie Trier – cello, backing vocals
 * Lasse Herbst – percussion
 * Casper Henning Hansen – drums
 * Bo Rande – horns, keyboard, backing vocals
 * Sonja Labianca – keyboard, saxophone
 * Jeppe Brix Sørensen – guitar (5)
 * Aske Zidore – additional guitar
 * Nis Bysted – additional guitar
 * Rune Borup – keyboard (5)


 * Additional personnel
 * Anders Schumann – mastering (5)
 * Mikkel Gemzøe – mastering (5)
 * Aske Zidore – production (1-4, 6–9), recording (1-4, 6–9) , mixing (1-4, 6–9)
 * Nis Bysted – production (1-4, 6–9), recording (1-4, 6–9) , mixing (1-4, 6–9)
 * Rune Borup – recording (5)
 * Jannis Noya Makrigiannis – artwork
 * Nis Bysted – artwork
 * Nis Sigurdsson – artwork
 * Cæcilie Trier – photography
 * Frederik Sølberg – photography
 * Peter Bysted – photography