A Song From Norway

Susanne Sundfør first cough my attention when she provided the vocals for a song by Röyksopp called "Running To The Sea" (and they also played together Ice Machine by Depeche Mode, maybe that was, in fact, the reason why I saw them together in first place). The song is great, with a melancholic dance vibe. Susanne's voice is spectacular, something really attracts me to her voice, obviously she sings very good, but there's something in her timbre quite spectacular, maybe it's the way she flies very easily from the low to the high tones.

So, I started to search a little bit about her. Her first singles didn't entered to my head so easily as Running To The Sea did (although her single "White Foxes" is a great great moment) but, I recently listened to the album "Ten Love Songs", released this year. And it is fantastic!
Her vocals are really amazing, what a voice really, and her pop / electronic songs really flow easily into your mind. Personal favourites for now are "Accelerate" and "Memorial" (a ten minutes epic song) but the rest of the songs are very good. I would describe "Slowly" as a lost song from the early catalogue of Depeche Mode, adapted to 2015.

Well, I wouldn't say it is a revolutionary record, something that you really need to listen right now, but it is, without any doubt, a very fresh and modern record. Lyrically is normal, simple, as the album's title says they are love poems. But again, I really like her voice.
It has a really good connection with 80's electronic music and today's pop and rock music.

And she is from Norway! Sometimes I get a little bit upset about British media, always the same artists, always Blur, Oasis and the mega famous american popstars, so it's great to open the horizons a little bit and try music from other European countries.

Luminous

Lately I was listening to the new, or last, Horrors' album.
I'm a fan of them, Primary Colours and Skying are amazing pieces of art.
Although, now, I'm not a big big fan of Luminous. I like the sound, very futuristic and personal but, in my view they lost something from the previous ones.
Faris Badwan's voice is not that as raspy as it used to be, now it's a lot more "sweeter", more poppy, and that's a big disadvantage, because part of the band's identity was his voice and his way of singing.
The synthesisers are awesome as always but the guitar is lacking a little bit, the riffs, you can't find things like "Do You Remember" here.
The best moment of Luminous is the lead single, "I See You". It's a great track. "So Now You Know" is also a great moment, "Jealous Sun" is super interesting and "Change Your Mind" it's a nice ballad. But I can't find a big connection with "Frist Day Of Spring", "In And Out Of Sight" or "Mine And Yours". Compare this album's final track "Sleepwalk" with "Ocean's Burning" from Skying and you'll see why I'm telling this.
I had the same problem with the previous albums, it took time for me to really enjoying them, so, maybe I'll change opinion soon but, I don't think it is as good as the expectation created.
Anyway, The Horrors are amazing and Luminous is great, but not as great as I expected.
Great bands always give you great expectations.