Ingvild Hasund
Demo
self-released

Usually when I get a demo from an unsigned act, I keep my expectations fairly low. I try to just listen for the artist's POTENTIAL, and not concern myself much with the undeveloped ideas or primitive mixes I expect to hear. Imagine my surprise then, when I played this rapturous 4-song demo by Norway's Ingvild Hasund. These are immaculately crafted, exquisitely produced tracks that sound like the work of a veteran performer, NOT someone shyly offering their first demos. I'm just blown away by this girl, truly. Hasund's music falls into a sort of jazzy pop vein, with touches of textured electronica and a beguiling aura of romantic yearning. There's also a subtle theatrical flair to Hasund's delivery which makes it easy to imagine her onstage in a Broadway musical, one that would likely keep an audience enthralled. It's hard not to get overwhelmed by emotion listening to the surprisingly lush orchestration on "So much to say", on which Hasund's voice bears just a hint of a less hyper Björk. The knob marked MAGIC was clearly turned up to the HIGH position in the studio for the sweetly melodic "Little song" and "All on a normal day" is a beautiful collision between noirish trip hop and cinematic jazz. This demo is honestly one of the best things I've heard this year, and Hasund deserves a record contract from a major right this minute.
- Kevin Renick