New Music Friday: Ethereal Pop, Heartfelt Ballads, and Sonic Journeys from Norway and Beyond
New Music Friday: Ethereal Pop, Heartfelt Ballads, and Sonic Journeys from Norway and Beyond
This week’s new music highlights take us deep into the realms of alternative dream pop, emotional folk, and genre-blending progressive sounds. From debut albums to highly anticipated singles, these releases invite listeners into immersive sonic landscapes.
Hiccup Heart – Gravity Racer
Debut Album Out Now
Norwegian band Hiccup Heart makes a stunning entrance with their debut album Gravity Racer, a lush and introspective journey through the worlds of alternative dream pop and rock, tinged with elements of shoegaze. Across seven intricately crafted tracks, the band masterfully balances the ethereal with the grounded, weaving melodies and lyrics like chapters in an emotionally resonant novel.
With clear influences from the likes of Alvvays, Cocteau Twins, Melody's Echo Chamber, Slowdive, Beach House, and Radiohead, Gravity Racer feels both modern and timeless. It’s a sonic invitation to drift, reflect, and rediscover—ideal for late-night listening or introspective walks. Hiccup Heart has delivered a debut that lingers like a memory, inviting you to press play again and again.
Annlaug Børsheim – “Spring”
Second Single from Upcoming Album
Norwegian folk-pop artist Annlaug Børsheim returns with “Spring,” the second single from her forthcoming album Spring før sola står opp (Run Before the Sun Rises), due this autumn. This emotionally charged track captures the urgency and release of motion—running through forests, over mountaintops, to the edge of cliffs. It's a song for anyone who’s ever needed to outrun something—chaos, heartbreak, or even themselves.
With poetic lyricism and Børsheim’s haunting vocals, “Spring” encapsulates that fleeting moment before dawn when anything feels possible, even escape.
Whispers of Granite – “Spirals”
New Single Ahead of Album Release
The collaborative project Whispers of Granite, formed by Norwegian vocalist Trude Eidtang (When Mary) and German composer Andreas Hack (Frequency Drift), releases their mesmerizing second single “Spirals.” It’s a tantalizing taste of their upcoming album Liquid Stone, set to drop on July 4.
“Spirals” blends atmospheric textures with experimental composition, showcasing the duo’s ability to create soundscapes that are as haunting as they are beautiful. Fans of avant-garde pop and progressive sound design should mark their calendars—Liquid Stone promises to be one of this summer’s most intriguing releases.
Stay tuned for more musical discoveries next week, and in the meantime, let these new releases soundtrack your journey—whether you’re racing gravity, running before sunrise, or spiraling into sonic exploration.