Kim Oxlund - Very Special Things

 

Released: August 6

Little bits of light mixed in with a bit of moodiness pepper this delightful little album from Kim Oxlund. I found it to be a rather relaxed little trip through the memory lane of the artist that seems to touch on a variety of moods and motifs all held together by a spacey atmosphere in production. The album really does breathe through each track with a sense of levity with light percussion and bright synths that transport the listener into a light-hearted world. While the first track, "Older Than the Sea" opens us up with a bit more of a moody downtempo vibe, the subsequent track "Her First Hello" brings us into a more carefree space with a bouncy synth line and upbeat rhythms. 

Oxlund keeps this vibe going for a considerable bit of the album, utilizing vocaloid synth to punctuate certain parts and build on the synthwork. "How Long Does It Last" hearkens back to the more moody opening with a more tense and cinematic vibe, but doesn't stray completely away from the bouncy vibe too much, setting up the next track. "Anywhere I Go I'm Never Lonely" is probably one of my favorite tracks on the album with its busy rhythmic structure filled with all manner of fun little sounds that gives it this very springy quality that plays around with structure but never feels jerky or forced. The album finishes up with "Stars All Burn Away" which features the strongest rhythm of all the tracks as a prominent back beat carries the track along with almost lonely and slightly spaghetti western sounding synths. It really marks the amazing depth and variety of composition at work on Very Special Things.