Out of the Woods "Birds and Beasts" (2020)

Birds and Beasts [debut]

release date: Jun. 12, 2020

format: vinyl (gatefold - OOTWLP1)

[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,48]

producer: Ditte Grube Barild

label: self-released - nationality:

Studio album debut by Out of the Woods aka Ditte Grube Barild who has written, arranged, recorded, and produced all songs.

I purchased this on the evening of a concert with Nanna Bech and Out of the Woods in my hometown back in 2020. I must confess that I found the performance and the music by Bech superior to this but still wanted to support two performing artists by purchasing their music. However, I do find this lacking an original tone and frankly think of it as non-inspiring. That said, Ditte Grube has produced everything on her own, which calls for much respect, but as a an original work of art, as a musical statement, I think the album suffers on several parameters. The songs and the albums as such are quite a coherent whole but also lacking colours that enables you to distinguish the single tracks from one another., and then the arrangements of it all simply call for supporting instrumentation. Not all music needs melody lines and musical hooks in a traditional sense, but if you aim to construct music in other ways, you need something else to grab the listener's attention - and this is where Birds and Beasts fail, 'cause the narratives are not strong enough, the music is too anonymous, and I guess you could say the same about the vocal performance by Ditte Grube.

Not recommended.

Nanna Bech "I Could Kill You in a Thousand Ways" (2018)

I Could Kill You in a Thousand Ways [debut]

release date: Nov. 16, 2018

format: vinyl

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]

producer: ? (rec. by Dennis Ahlgren)

label: self-released - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: A) 1. "Never Quiet" - 2. "Lips" (live session) - 3. "One Day" - 4. "The Fool" - - B) 1. "Traffic Light" (Radio Edit) - 2. "The Town" - 3. "I Could Kill You in a Thousand Ways" - 4. "Still Here" - 5. "Lost"

Studio album debut by Danish musician Nanna Bech is a self-released album with nine compositions written, and composed by Bech and co-arranged with Dennis Ahlgren, who also contributes on guitar, bass, synths, and percussion. Aside from singing, Bech also handles piano and ukulele parts.

Musically, it's in a quieter corner of indie pop with strong influences from folk, Nordic folklore, and it could also come with a sticker labelling it as neofolk.

Bech has a delicate singing voice, which adds a destinct quality to all songs, and the arrangements are made with an ear for rhythm and melody, which allows for Bech's funny and story-telling lyrics to stand out on their own terms. The songs have a common theme of the macabre but the stories are wrapped up in serene colours, in softness, and with a lightness that all function as deliberate oppposites showing you a wink as an invitation for a smile. Frankly, I don't think this album comes with any fillers, and to pick the highlights is more than ordinarily hard, and instead of handing the listener with an album of hit song potential, it's really the whole package and the uplifting state it may settle you in that ensures this as a succesful and most recommended debut.

Now, having heard Nanna Bech live, I only wish she would grant us with more of her talent, and perhaps issue an album of songs with lyrics in Danish.

[ Gaffa.dk, Gfrock.dk 4 / 6 stars ]