Hilde Marie Kjersem - A Killer For That Ache
Chances are that you haven’t heard of Hilde Marie Kjersem, I certainly hadn’t until I happened across her MySpace page, but pay attention because together we’ve stumbled upon an outstanding talent.
‘A Killer For That Ache’ is one of the most heart stopping, gobsmacking and beautiful debut albums I’ve come across in a very long time. Kjersem hails from the northwest coast of Norway as one of eight siblings, studied music at the Music Conservatory in Trondheim, lists David Lynch, Roger Rabbit and Tim Burton as major influences and has a voice hand crafted by angels. No, really, she does. It is so rich and smooth it drips honey out of your speakers.
Her previous recordings have been albums of Jazz standards, but for ‘A Killer...’ she has taken a step out of those comfortable surroundings and plunged headlong in to an altogether darker, more mysterious place and is all the better for it.
Vocally, Kjersem references Margo Timmins of Cowboy Junkies, Julianne Regan of All About Eve, a dash of Annie Lennox and a hint of Lisa Gerrad, but is in reality a voice entirely her own. On tracks such as the spine tingling ‘London Bridge’ and ‘Mary, Full Of Grace’ it is a voice that is sodden with emotion.
It’s not just the voice though. What’s going on behind the voice is nearly as important. The arrangements, the instrumentation and the song structures are surprising and intriguing throughout the record. Unusual electronics and percussion feature heavily.
‘London Bridge’ is one of the standout tracks on the album, stripped down with a slow rhythmic pounding, almost industrial percussive backing, it’s full of tension and atmosphere. Other highlights include the previously mentioned ‘Mary, Full Of Grace’, ‘Marie Antoinette’, which gradually builds counterpoint vocal lines over a militaristic snare, and the title track, which is a delight of stacked harmonies, but it’s almost unfair to pick tracks out of what is an overall masterpiece.
Rarely can an album have come so unheralded and yet delivered so much. Go and buy this album, now.
Top Tracks :‘London Bridge’, 'Mary, Full Of Grace'.
Released 25/08/2008 on Rune Grammofon.
Posted by Dan at 21:21 27/08/2008 |