Released on: Caroline International
Sounds like: A socially critical bastard of spoken words poetry, tight rap flow and contemporary pop that’s destined to shake you up.
Recommended because: You’ll barely find a more honest and direct recent pop album. Let Them Eat Chaos is a ruthless reckoning of a crumbling Western post-capitalistic society which establishes KAE TEMPEST as one of rap’s new leading artist. Far more than many competitors they are a storyteller, speaking for those who got left behind in the world today. Just listen to the stunning Europe Is Lost, which tells more within one song than most artists these days via an entire album. (Norman)
Songs to check out: Ketamine For Breakfast, Europe Is Lost, Perfect Coffee, Tunnel Vision
Released on: Jansen Plateproduksjon
Sounds like: Shimmering and sparkling 80s dream pop with, balancing between euphoria and melancholia while echoing groups like WILD NOTHING, DIIV and NEØV.
Recommended because: Although the band from Bergen is doing a bit too much copycat action on their self-titled debut you can’t deny the fact that they are doing it pretty good. Dreamy synthesizer patterns meet Johnny Marr tribute guitars, grooving bass lines and the driven urgency of the drums. The recipe remains old but effective and CHAIN WALLET manage to add that special Scandinavian flair to their record that marks the cherry on top of what turns out to be a really well-crafted debut record. (Norman)
Songs to check out: Pale Memories, Driving, Faded Fight,
Released on: Ki Records
Sounds like: A melancholic warm cocoon composed of electronic layers, with haunted voices wraping up well the whole cocktail. Could be shuffled with WEVAL’s last album.
Recommended because: CHRISTIAN LÖFFLER last journey is a long and mesmerizing one. Mare is a 17 tracks album centered around a deep-house / electronica melancholic sound. Voices come hatching out the piece when the organic isn’t already assured by strings or piano melodies. Relatively close from the works of JON HOPKINS, though a bit less experimental, Mare is your beautiful lonely electronic journey of the week without a doubt. Don’t forget to check the very recent LÖFFLER’s delicate NBHAP Guestmix aswell. (Bastien)
Songs to check out: Hault (feat Mohna), Neo, Nil
Released on: Self-Released
Sounds like: Gentle and sunny indie-pop vibes that are driven by California dreamin’ (even on a winter’s day).
Recommended because: The Californian outfit around mastermind Keith Brower Brown haven’t lost its good spirit, following 2015’s Pathology debut, even after loosing their record deal and two founding members. Own It delivers summerly melodies, sounds a bit less lo-fi and ‘latin’ as its predecessor but keeps the familiar TRAILS AND WAYS charm that connects sweet and catchy melodies with a certain melancholic and hippie-esque vibe. Perfect lo-fi pop to find your inner piece. (Norman)
Songs to check out: Get Loud, Coral Beach, Ursula, The Answer
Released on: Cargo Records
Sounds like: A postmodern, post-subjective version of hippie world music gone stoner folk under heavy influences.
Recommended because: The deliberately mysterious Swedish psych-collective has more to offer than just the usual repetitive, drug-infused rock’n’roll. Combining tribal drumming, rich instrumentation (behold the fleets), various musical styles from all over the world and a truly artistic focus on music instead of stardom, GOAT remain to be a rare, one-of-a-kind band/collective/body of artistry. From fuzzy folk to menacing psych rock to flower child naivete in just one album? You only get it here.(Henning)
Songs to check out: Union of Sun and Moon, Goatband, Goatfuzz