We haven’t featured Finnish musician Ville Laaksonen before, either as a songwriter or under his pseudonym Emilie Chardon, through which he has released compositions which have gained over one million streams on Spotify. He’s also composed songs for a number of other artists (including Antti Tuisku), and his voice even featured on a Nightwish album – a fact I’m sure fellow NMR writer David would have known.
Anyway for his solo project he describes himself as “a lover of exquisite tea, Paris and handmade fedora hats” – I don’t pretend to be that much of an expert on fedora hats, but having bought some Devon Blend tea from the local Nisa village shop whilst I was on vacation last week, I certainly know a good brew.
I digress, because he has a new track out entitled ‘I Wish I Was More Beautiful Than My Ex’, which is the most straightforward title to a song since Death Grips 2013 release “You Might Think He Loves You For Your Money But I Know What He Really Loves You For It’s Your Brand New Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat”. And to be clear, I definitely prefer the look of the fedora hat to the leopard skin variety.
This track will creep up on you, because whilst it may open harmlessly enough with an attractive easy going melody, strings are then introduced and the whole thing builds with more than a hint of menace, and the conclusion is really intense. Very effective and the lyrics enjoyably pointed.
Ville Laaksonen must be sitting there back in Helsinki with his Yorkshire brew very contented with the way this track worked out and I really look forward to future releases.