It is my absolute pleasure to be talking about Norwegian indie folk star Stian Fjelldal’s work once again! And this time around, we get to hear the full album from his Birds Are Better project and spoiler alert: it is good. The album, titled The Island – Part One features the lovely “Seven in the Morning” as the opening track and explores Stian’s sound further. Also present as a part of his full-length debut are the previous singles “Super Highway” and “Marigold”, as well as seven brand new tracks.
STREAM NOW THE ISLAND – PART ONE BY
BIRDS ARE BETTER ON SPOTIFY
On The Island – Part One, Stian goes all in and expands the intricate blend between indie folk and electronics that worked so well in the past to a full-blown experience. The soundscapes painted by Stian over the ten songs add new dream pop elements that beautifully go side to side with his brand of folktronica, impeccably produced to perfection. There are no filler tracks and no dull moments on this, The Island – Part One is a carefully curated album meant to be listened to as a whole. The previously released singles get a full new meaning when you hear them in their place, especially “Marigold”.
This is the debut from his English-sung project, but Stian is by no means a newcomer to the music world, already having several releases in his native Norwegian under his own name. But Birds Are Better feels new to him, it feels like the music he’s always wanted to make.
“I love bands and artists like Fleet Foxes, The Flaming Lips, Crowded House, Susanne Sundfør, and Super Furry Animals, to name a few. Do I have anything in common with such a company? I have no idea, but what is stopping me from trying? So I got down to it. I started making songs in English and found that I had a different voice, one that I identified more with because I drew inspiration from the heart, not from my own idea of what kind of artist I was”, Stian says about the whole idea behind the project.
The record was recorded and produced in Oslo by legendary Norwegian musician Håkon Gebhardt, and he managed to capture a sense of intimacy that feels like Stian is singing and performing in the same room as you. The mixes are also excellent, you can listen to every single instrument and detail loud and clear without them ever overbearing Stian’s delicate vocals and lyrics. An album born out of unfaithfulness, according to the artist himself, sounds human and vulnerable in the best way.
Stian gives himself permission to experiment and play with his own music, bringing a sense of fun as well to this. The transition from the heartfelt ballad “Oh Mother” to the electronics of “Fencing You In” is an abrupt contrast that makes you hold your breath for a few moments. The Island -Part One is an album that keeps you on the edge of your seat with the way it’s constantly throwing opposites against each other and blending the acoustic instrumentations with electronic beats and synths. It is simply gorgeous.
And we can definitely hear that newfound passion every single second of the record, and it’s because of it that it captivates you in the way that it does. The thoughtful compositions sound as if Stian is comfortable exploring this new side of his artistry, he knows what he wants to accomplish and is on his way to get it. On The Island – Part One, it feels like he’s finally got there. The best part of this is knowing that The Island is a double album and this is only the first part. I cannot wait to hear Part Two!
LISTEN NOW “THE ISLAND (PART ONE)”
BY BIRDS ARE BETTER
Don’t forget to support this project and follow Birds Are Better on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, SoundCloud, YouTube, Apple Music, and Spotify. You can also check out her official website. If you enjoy her music and are able to provide monetary support, you might consider downloading it on Bandcamp; for virtual concerts, you can go to songkick “Live from their sofa to yours”.
You can obviously find it in the following Playlists: Less Than 1,000 Followers, Fresh Singles, Indie Only, 12 New Songs This Week, Chill – Folk – Acoustic, Missing You…, and Unknown but Essentials!
P.S. If you enjoy discovering new artists and brand-new music, subscribe to this blog Less Than 1,000 Followers, and follow the Playlist with all the artists we have presented here!
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This coverage was created via MusoSoup #Sustainablecurator
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