Immanu El (often typeset as IMMANU EL) is a Swedish post-rock band from Jön… Read Full Bio ↴Immanu El (often typeset as IMMANU EL) is a Swedish post-rock band from Jönköping.

Formed by Claes Strängberg and his brother Per in 2004, Immanu El was joined by Michael Persson and Emil Karlsson soonafter where they began to work on their first release.

The band name, Immanu El, is a play on words (of sorts) on the Hebrew Bible's prophecy of Immanuel, the prophesied Messiah, and the Semetic word for God, El (deity), and "with us" (Immanu). The band's name takes on even deeper meaning in light of the Judeo-Christian philosophies of Jesus being simultaneously the Jewish Messiah and God in one.

After touring, supporting such bands as Logh and Loney, Dear they got the chance in 2005 to play a set on the 'Rookie Stage' in the Hultsfred Festival; an opportunity for unsigned bands to perform at a major event.

They released their first EP titled Killerwhale, before being signed to And the Sound Records in 2006. The following year, Immanu El recorded and released their first full-length album They'll Come, They Come. Building on the success of their first album they released their second album Moen in 2009, followed by In Passage in 2011.

Skagerak
Immanu El Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Wavelets cease
skies are painted
as swallows fly
restless and playful

Sun is low
warm cliffs beneath my feet
breezes fall

when i dive into the gold

Underneath
i can feel your hands
drowning the ghosts
i carry

Hold my breath
as life is blown into my lungs

Capture my heart again
i am pierced by your love

August falls
north winds are chasing me
winter comes
i'm falling helplessly again

When we share our love
all eyes will see

Hold my breath
as hope is laid into
my mind
close my eyes

as love awakes inside
my heart

Overall Meaning

The song "Skagerak" by Immanu El is a piece that talks about the different seasons of life, particularly the ups and downs of love. The first verse speaks of a calm imagery of the landscape with the wavelets ceasing, the skies being painted and swallows flying playfully. The second verse introduces a sense of restlessness as the sun is low and warm beneath the feet, and breezes fall. It's as if things are on the brink of change, and diving into the gold represents taking a leap of faith towards a positive change.

The third verse delves deeper into the emotional aspect of the lyrics, with the emotional embrace of drowning the ghosts of the past, and holding one's breath as life is blown into one's lungs, drawing a comparison to starting a new chapter in life. The chorus further reinforces the idea of falling in love again and being pierced by that love, representing the intensity and depth of emotions that accompany a newfound love. The final verse touches on the difficulty of change and accepting seasons of life, with the mention of north winds chasing and a sense of falling helplessly again. However, the ultimate message is that through love, being vulnerable, and sharing it with others, all eyes will see the beauty and joy that comes from it.

Overall, "Skagerak" is a song that speaks to the emotional journey that individuals experience through the different seasons of life, particularly in love. It speaks to the beauty of change, although often painful, can bring new beginnings and hope.

Line by Line Meaning

Wavelets cease
The small waves stop moving

skies are painted
The sky has a colorful appearance

as swallows fly
The birds are flying gracefully

restless and playful
The birds seem energetic and carefree

Sun is low
The sun is setting

warm cliffs beneath my feet
The singer is standing on warm rocks

breezes fall
The wind has slowed down

when i dive into the gold
The artist dives into the sunset

Underneath
The artist is beneath the water

i can feel your hands
The artist senses the presence of someone else

drowning the ghosts
The presence is helping the singer forget their past troubles