Each day of December this year, I’m highlighting one of my favourite albums of 2024. Counting down the list, we start with #31 on December 1st and go all the way down until we’ve reached #1 on December 31st. Today, #10 on my Album of the Year list: Tapir! – ‘The Pilgrim, Their God and The King of My Decrepit Mountain’.

A few days ago, I came to the realisation that I didn’t buy all too many records this year. In fact, out of the 31 albums I consider to be my favourites of 2024, only 6 ended up in my record collection. Tapir!’s debut album ‘The Pilgrim, Their God and The King of My Decrepit Mountain’ was one of those, but I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t even play it once as of yet. Of course, I did listen to this album before I bought it, although the album title and cover could’ve convinced me I was up for a tantalising treat without even listening to it prior to purchase.

Seemingly out of nowhere came Tapir!, a sextet from London. A group of which most members also indulge in other musical activities, such as Dog, a band making some waves in London’s underground indie scene with songs such as ‘Beep! Beep! Honk! Honk!’ and ‘Daddy Got Pony’ (these lot got a subscription on peculiar titles). Sadly, the Keg-like sound of Dog didn’t quite catch waves (yet), something that cannot be said about Tapir!. This album is a perfect middle ground for people who don’t like Black Country, New Road (such as myself) but do enjoy chamber pop, art rock, indie folk, and a little bit of post-punk. Tapir!’s debut comes in 3 parts; Act 1 (The Pilgrim), Act 2 (Their God), and Act 3 (The King of My Decrepit Mountain), all featuring 4 songs, from which the first one is an introduction to the act, featuring narration by Little Wings. Let’s see if we can decipher each tale one by one.

Act 1: The Pilgrim
“From atop a green hill, the pilgrim did hear. A call from the distance, their people are near. Towards the tall mound, the pilgrim must set. Carrying only this sack, into the nether, they head.”

We follow the story of a pilgrim who gets called down to the nether (‘On A Grassy Knoll (We’ll Bow Together)’). Down in the nether, our pilgrim meets a bird who guides it forward (‘Swallow’). And just as quickly as it arrived in the nether, the pilgrim faces off with a creature, allowing it to head out of the nether again (‘The Nether (Face To Face)’).

Act 2: Their God
“Out of the nether, the beast lay there still. The pilgrim sees an ocean and takes a boat to the hill. As the subject sets off, in the distance they hear. A roar from the heavens, the storm cloud is near.”

The pilgrim has now left the nether and is sailing out on open seas, though catastrophe seems to be lurking around the corner (‘Broken Ark’). Our protagonist seems to have crash-landed onto sacred shores but before being sent to the hereafter, emulating the words in the poems known through Erik Satie’s famous piano compositions (arguably) written after them (‘Gymnopédie’). Not long from now, the pilgrim will reach its final destination (‘Eidolon’).

Act 3: The King of My Decrepit Mountain
“The squire is tired from climbing. But as it reaches the peak, they see a creature sat waiting. They come together and speak.”

The true reason behind our pilgrim’s mythical journey is about to unfold, as our protagonist is required to move forward (‘Untitled’). For better or worse, acceptance of its own beliefs is key (‘My God’). However, will the pilgrim succeed or has it sealed off its own fate by refusing to change? (‘Mountain Song’).

With lyrics being seriously cryptic and oblique, the exact goal and concept of this album is left to the imagination. However, where it lacks in clarity and comprehensiveness, it makes up for with its gorgeous compositions. Sonically, Tapir!’s debut album might be one of its kind this year. Combining Ike Gray’s nasally vocals with electronic drums, gloomy cello, and smooth finger picking guitar creates for a unique blend of art folk: more sophisticated than it is pretentious, and more ambitious than it is presumptuous.