Another day, another Nordic discovery … this time in the form of musical collaborators, Norwegian producer, Limbic Void, and Danish vocalist, Iben Bjørg Anton. So, just who are this NorDane duo?
Iben Bjørg Anton is a Danish singer-songwriter from Aarhus, Denmark. Obviously super intelligent, Iben holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree! She says she likes to write fauna themed, jazz influenced songs – I want to meet her already! – as well as compositions about the confusion that reigns over the world of home -hunters, and the paradox that is “eternal love”. Every now and then, she likes to try “grasp the contemporary, electronic vibe.” Intelligent, talented and with a sense of humour, yep, I definitely want to share a bottle with this gal!
And now to fill the ‘Void’. Alternative electro-pop songwriter and producer, Limbic Void, a.k.a Gustav Espenes, hails from Trondheim, the trendiest town in Norway and home to the #TrondheimCalling fest, and those riotous Riot Factory boys (a.k.a Huey, Dewey and Louie). Espenes came to Norwegian musical prominence in 2013, on the release of his debut single ‘Stay Strong’, which he not only wrote and performed, but also mixed and produced.
I wouldn’t usually use the word beautiful when describing an intricate electronic weave, but beautiful this is. ‘Stay Strong’ is a sublime blend of evocative vocal and heavenly harmonies. It’s vibe is somewhat melancholia washed over with uplifting synth melodies, played out against a backdrop of heavy electronic beats. It’s pretty heady stuff. No wonder the Norwegian music media raised their heads and blinked!
What do you get when you take the fresh, delicate and fragile vocal of the former and meld it with the dark but sensual electronic intricacy of the latter?
‘The Doghouse’ is what.
This tracks turns Iben’s vocal on it’s head, drawing out a more mature and inviting sound, which in turn gives it a somewhat sybaritic feel. Void’s mastery of texturing, layering and production is exemplified by the depth and quality of this track. With it’s perfectly timed sonic peaks and troughs, this arrangement of complex electronica is so well balanced as to enhance rather than overpower the gentility of Iben’s voice. Only someone who is understanding of, and proficient in his trade, can pull off something as classy as this production.
This is a most inspired and complementary pairing and I for one, very much look forward to hearing more. The single, ‘The Doghouse’ is streaming now on Soundcloud.
You can follow Iben on Facebook and her Official Website.
You can follow Limbic on Facebook, Twitter and his Official Website.
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