There’s a familiarity to the vocals of Konradsen that have me thinking as soon as the first of these 5 chill tracks stars playing. It hits me that the vocal style is roundabouts that familiar “indie girl” sound that emerged in pop in the early 2010s. Now, before you get on my case for throwing shade, let’s look at the context here.
This thought came to me right as I pressed play on the EP opener, “Give It Back to the Feelings.” This song’s conversational and comforting tone has an air of fighting back conflict, which only just begins to escalate before the song abruptly comes to an end. To me, this signifies surrender. This singing style is suitable, because it’s familiar. When we are caught in turmoil we seek familiarity. So, bathed in an ethereal blanket, we find some of that. The title track is especially poignant in this regard. Almost everything about this song is sparse, yet it feels full all the same, with several elements creeping forth, surely and steadily. I found this quote to be really insightful on the context of the record:
“While last year’s album was crafted meticulously, this EP is focused on fleeting, immediate moments—trying to capture the raw fragments that drift by in everyday life,” they explain. “It’s an ode to the small choices we make everyday.”
It’s on dreary days like today that I can appreciate music like this. A year ago today I was sitting with my dad, sipping a margarita in my local Tex-Mex joint for Cinco De Mayo. It was sunny and 75. Today, it’s barely 50 degrees outside and spitting rain. Yet, there is beauty even in the dreary moments. If a duo from Norway (where it’s dark and cold for half the year) knows this lesson, then I, a dude in Columbus, Ohio USA, should apply that lesson too. “Many People” seems to drive that point home in a subtle, dark way.
From what I gather, this isn’t your typical release from Konradsen. Yet, I’m glad this was my introduction.
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