A somewhat prescient title giving all that is happening right now, two tracks from this, Louien’s new EP, have appeared here already, the Americana-laden ‘Deep Within’ and ‘Better Woman’, an amalgam of so many different artistic styles that I lost count, along with the instruments in play.
The EP is said to be a reflection of how on any one day you can encounter many different moods and emotions and that after the long drawn out labour of writing her debut album and its sad theme (the trauma left behind by her father’s death), she wanted this to be “an ephemeral collection of songs.”
So let’s sweep ephemerally into the third song, the title track, which is a simple statement delivered in a calm Nashville manner supported mainly by her acoustic guitar.
‘Fire’ suggests something more dramatic but it’s another guitar/strings production with the violins seizing control this time.
Common to all these tracks is the most soothing, lullaby-inducing voice you could imagine. The sort that I imagine accompanies that yellow light when your time is up.
Speaking of which, final track ‘Woke from the dead’ raises the decibels ever so slightly courtesy of a full string arrangement I’d like to hear more of. It could well become her signature.
If I didn’t know Louien was Norwegian I’d swear she’s American. The delivery of each of these songs is up there in the Courtney Marie Andrews, Tori Amos, Alicia Keys class; yes, really that good. The arrangements are just so, her vocal is subtle yet urgent, and every word is enunciated perfectly. And there’s nothing ephemeral about it. You won’t be filing this one away.
Somewhere there’s British radio DJ who will pick up on her, soon. I reckon it could be Whispering Bob Harris on his Country Show. It would be the break she deserves.
’No Tomorrow’ is out now.
Nordic Music Review 8/10