Marie Key "Lys finale" (2022)

Lys finale

release date: Feb. 11, 2022

format: digital (10 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]

producer: Bremer / McCoy

label: Sony Music - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Vinter" - 2. "Tænk" - 3. "Stråler" - 5. "Lys finale" (4 / 5) - 6. "Stille måne" - 7. "Verden" - 10. "Festen"

6th studio album by Marie Key following the album Marie Key (Oct. 2020) saw Key in an attempt to take up the success from her first three solo albums with producer Andreas 'Maskinen' Sommer, and although the album produced a small single hit with "True Love", that album wasn't part of top-40.

Lys finale is easily her most quiet album to date. It's produced by contemporary Danish jazz-duo Bremer / McCoy (bassist Jonathan Bremer and pianist Morten McCoy), and all tracks are co-composed and arranged by the duo, and the end-result is far from the art pop and synthpop-fused predecessors. Stylewise, this might go as indie pop with a strong touch of jazz pop, and most tracks have near minimalist arrangements where bass and a delicate keyboard often are only instruments backing Key's vocal, which is accentuated strongly.

A first listen had me think it was daring and far from expected but I quickly found it a quite strong release. It's not filled with hit material nor sing-a-long choruses, and it's primarily the most stripped down songs that work the best - and it's Key's delicate narration that really lifts the album, which in many way also calls for a native or at least a Scandic audience, as all songs are in Danish, but this isn't a new trait to Key's music. The big difference is that Lys finale is a jazz-breed and it's one of Key's absolute best albums. Imho, this is Key's second best to date and thus highly recommended.

[ Berlingske 5 / 6, Politiken 3 / 6 stars ]

Marie Key "Marie Key" (2020)

Marie Key

release date: Oct. 23, 2020

format: digital (11 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]

producer: Andreas Sommer

label: Temper Records - nationality: Demark

Track highlights: 1. "Min tabte ven" - 2. "True Love" - 3. "Tænker på os to" - 4. "Din bar" - 5. "Biler" - 6. "Venner" - 9. "Et kys er ik nok mer" (4 / 5) - 10. "Vi følger hinanden"

5th studio album by Marie Key following a little more than two years after Giganter (Jul. 2018) sees a welcome back to producer Andreas 'Maskinen' Sommer, who is credited as multi-instrumentalist and also as co-composer of six out of a total of eleven songs. The album also sees a few featuring guests, which include Tim Christensen on guitar (track #2), Christoffer Gregersen on vocals (track #6), and Simon Kvamm on vocals (track #9). The album has primarily been issued as a vinyl only album (also available as digital download) but not in cd format, and it appears to be the first release on Key's own label, Temper Records.

As many releases from 2020 the album has been recorded and produced at a time of uncertainty - with reference to global lockdowns and in that regard it may have been delayed as Key probably were prevented to follow it up with a tour.

Marie Key is a way of showing a more stripped down view on an artist, who has taken the country by storm but also experienced a difficult time after two acclaimed albums, although Giganter was a fine album, it just wasn't welcomed by enthusism nor great reviews. And that tendency may have hit this very album even harder as it hasn't been promoted with much fuss and then it basically appears to have near vanished from any public interest, which is more than really strange. Yes, the song "True Love" was a minor national hit but the album failed to enter top 40 and seems to have come out only to be greatly ignored, which is quite sad because it's a fine album on which Key once more showcases her position as a gifted contemporary songwriter of personal and inner conflicts with an obvious broad appeal and always serving her songs with glimpses of hope, despair, and humour, but also has a purposeful sense for a wider target group. It's both simple narratives and modern poetry on a another level than generic pop without substance. Key simple deserves more listeners but may have found the limitations in singing entirely in Danish when everyone's eyes and ears are on a globalised perfect world that is reflected to us via Insta, Tik-Tok, X - the SoMe-poison.

Definitely recommended.

[ Gaffa.dk, Kulturen.nu 4 / 6, 💩Ekstra Bladet 3 / 6 stars ]

Marie Key "Giganter" (2018)

signed vinyl cover

Giganter

release date: Jul. 20, 2018

format: vinyl (gatefold) (signed copy) / digital (14 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,70]

producer: Rasmus Bille Bähncke, Jannik Brandt Thomsen

label: Genlyd / Sony Music - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 2. "Bruge dig" - 3. "Det vi sagde" - 5. "Regn" - 6. "Stjernerne falder (feat. Medina)" - 7. "Giganter" (4 / 5) - 9. "Korn" - 10. "Spot (feat. Benal)" - 14. "Frie"

4th studio album by Marie Key following nearly 3½ years after Tænker du vi danser (Feb. 2015) marks a change in more than one way. Previously, she has teamed up with producer Andreas 'Maskinen' Sommer, who also arranged the music, but he is not credited on this new album. Instead, the majority of the songs are composed by Rasmus Bille Bähncke (producer of primarily dance-pop), and three songs co-composed by Jannik Thomsen (aka Jay - part of the Danish pop-duo Nik & Jay), who also features as vocalist on track #9, and the other half of the duo, Niclas Genkel Petersen (aka Nik) is co-writer and co-vocalist on track #14. And then also both the two Danish artists Medina and the duo Benal feature on one song each (tracks #6 and #10 respectively).

With pop, hip hop-duo Nik & Jay, dance-pop vocalist Medina, and hip hop act Benal as featuring artists, the album is a bolder pop and hip hop outing than her previous albums, which is also stressed by the choice of producer (Bähncke) and mixer Alex Epton (aka XXXchange).

Key's two previous albums both topped the Danish albums chart but Giganter 'only' peaked as number #9, briefly, and on the year-end list, the album wasn't included in top-100 - and no singles have registrered entries, although both "Det vi sagde", "Regn", "Stjernerne falder", and the title track were on heavy rotation on DR P3.

Imo, Giganter is Marie Key's perhaps second best. However, despite an attempt to showcase a new sound formula, my only grain of critique is that some songs here tend to follow melodic paths she has shown us before and the pure pop scene is not where she rightfully belongs. That said, this new collection of songs only serves to prove her status as one of the most vital contemporary Danish artist.

Recommended.

[ Gaffa.dk, Soundvenue, Ekstra Bladet 3 / 6, Politiken 5 / 6 stars ]

Marie Key "Tænker du vi danser" (2015)

Tænker du vi danser
release date: Feb. 2, 2015
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,65]
producer: Andreas 'Maskinen' Sommer
label: Genlyd / Sony Music - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Fatter det nu" (live) - 2. "Fryser med dig" (4 / 5) (live) - 3. "Tænker du vi danser" (live) - 4. "Hvis du går" - 5. "Dans" - 6. "Hjerte der banker" - 8. "Oceaner" - 10. "Dit sekund"

3rd solo studio album by Marie Key follows the same recipe of the previous and succesful second album De her dage from 2012 in a musical collaboration with producer, Anders Sommer. It's more than fine, personal songs about insecurity and relationships held in a tight spatial production. The album was met by positive reviews, and I believe the album nationally has sold more than well. I just find it too slick, too close to being just the expected follow-up to her great 2012 album. There are no surprises and not the same immediate stream of great songs as on the predecessor but it still contains some really fine songs. Yet, it's nowhere close to her weakest albums with the band, it just doesn't offer any noteworthy progression compared to her last album but it works nicely as a second part to the 2012 album as if stemming from the very same recordings. Sometimes you shouldn't fix what isn't broken and that notion is perhaps important when talking about music that simply implies more of the same, which isn't the same as just as great, and yet again, just adds to the artist's repertoire. 'Cause we really have to hand to Key, she sounds like herself and she's one of the best contemporary Danish acts.

Recommended.
[ Gaffa.dk 5 / 6 stars ]

Best of 2012:Marie Key "De her dage" (2012)

De her dage
release date: Oct. 29, 2012
format: cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,12]
producer: Andreas 'Maskinen' Sommer
label: Genlyd / Sony Music - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Landet" (4 / 5) - 4. "Festens bedste gæst" - 5. "Uden forsvar" (5 / 5) (live) - 6. "Uopnåelig" (4 / 5) (live on 'Go' Morgen Danmark') - 7. "Let som en fjer" (4 / 5) - 9. "Et aftalt spil" (5 / 5) - 11. "De her dage"

2nd studio solo album by Marie Key is indeed a nice refreshing Danish singer / songwriter release with an electronic hint. Marie Key ['cay] shines above most other Danish artists at the moment. Only Søren Huss, Love Shop, Turboweekend, Efterklang, and Mellemblond are able to produce noteworthy albums at a time where international trends seem too inspiring for the majority of Danish artists. Keys' debut album [earlier she has released two albums with Marie Key Band] I byen igen (2011) was not bad at all but this one is even better, as it appears to be more of a whole, she simply comes out a head above everyone else, and her new electronica touch makes it a fine electronic singer / songwriter release, so far only seen with the works of Mikael Simpson in Denmark.

Best release in 2012, so rare to hand that to a Danish album.

2012 Favourite releases: 1. Marie Key De her dage - 2. Paul Banks Banks - 3. Alabama Shakes Boys & Girls

Marie Key "I byen igen" (2011)

I byen igen [debut]
release date: Aug. 26, 2011
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Andreas "Maskinen" Sommer
label: Sony Music - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Mere snak - mindre musik" - 2. "Se nu herhen" (4 / 5) - 4. "Partners in Crime" (feat. Bjørn Fjæstad) - 5. "Stå op" - 6. "Er du Okay?" - 7. "Man må ikke lege med folk" - 8. "Tabt mit hjerte" - 10. "Hun er i byen igen"

Studio solo debut album by Marie Key (aka Marie Kristensen) after having released two albums with Marie Key Band - the final one being Hver sin vej (Aug. 2009). Stylistically, it's a move into a more electronic universe with Marie Key as primary artist but with compositions arranged together with producer Anders 'Maskinen' Sommer, who has been one half of Danish synthpop duo Stoffer & Maskinen. The music is quite unique and with both "Mere snak - mindre musik" and especially "Se nu herhen" Key experienced much airplay on the national Danish radio station, DR P3. With this, Key has taken a substantial step up after leaving the band behind and by doing so she has also left behind a certain amount of conformity.
Recommended.
[ Gaffa.dk, Soundvenue 4 / 6 stars ]

Marie Key Band "Hver sin vej" (2008)

Hver sin vej
release date: Sep. 8, 2008
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,98]
producer: Morten Bue, Henrik Balling, Marie Key Band
label: Genlyd, Sony BMG - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Bum bum" - 2. "Almindelig dag" - 8. "Dope" - 10. "Går hun ikke meget for sig selv?" - 11. "Fjernsyn"

2nd and final studio album by Marie Key Band after which songwriter, composer, and lead vocalist Marie Key initiated a more succesful solo career. Most track are credited Key solely, which may have led to her trying out a career on her own. The style is much like on the debut just with a more up-tempo pop beat on top of the folk pop compositions. Although, the album in some ways betters the debut, it's still not the fulfillment of what the debut pointed towards. Musically, there are better arrangements here but lyrically, I find the debut more entertaining. Best tracks here are "Almindelig dag" co-written by Anne Linnet and "Går hun ikke meget for sig selv?" whereas the remainders don't match the same level, and it remains a fine attempt that doesn't take the band into what had been initiated 2½ years earlier, nor does it come close to the releases by Marie Key as a solo artist.
[ Gaffa.dk 4 / 6 stars ]

Marie Key Band "Udtales ['Kæj]" (2006)

Udtales ['Kæj] [debut]
release date: Feb. 6, 2006
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]
producer: Henrik Balling
label: Genlyd 2000 / Sony BMG Music - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Mormor" - 3. "Kleptoman" - 4. "Hun kysser ham nu" - 7. "Er det nu"

Studio album debut by Marie Key Band consisting of lead vocalist Marie Key Kristiansen, Jakob Thorkild on guitars, Marie Louise von Bülow on double bass, and with Mads Andersen on drums & percussion. The title is an original way to point out how her surname is pronounced - the title translates to "Pronounced ['Cay']" with reference to the surname of Marie Key (not as in English 'key') ['kee / ki']. All eleven tracks are credited Marie Key with Marie Key Band credited all arrangements.
The music is a sort of combo of folk pop and singer / songwriter based compositions focusing on the simplistic narratives by Marie Key about humorous sides of ordinary life. Although, I don't find it particular entertaining - it has some fine moments sounding as a combo of Swedish jazz pop band Bo Kaspers Orkester and other Scandinavian bands playing folk pop with elements of either jazz, and rhythm & blues, only... somewhat indistinct and generic in the long run but nevertheless with hints of promises.
[ Gaffa.dk 3 / 6 stars ]