Today, Norwegian indie-folk artist Louien (Live Miranda Solberg) shares her sophomore EP, No Tomorrow, a venture into life’s little unexpected moments of joy. Vast in scope yet astute in detail, the songs range from quiet, folkier tracks reminiscent of Laura Marling’s Songs from Our Daughter, to larger more sweeping Americana tracks evocative of Courtney Marie Andrews’ Old Flowers. All the while, the smooth tones of Louien’s vocals carry the record with remarkable nuance and emotionality.
Solberg shares that after her first record (diving into the grief following the death of her father), “I wanted to play around a bit more, not take myself or the songs too seriously as the debut was very heavy and took years to write. I mean, writing a thoroughly happy song might still be out of my reach, but I’m trying to get more than one perspective in there,” she adds.
Following the ebb and flow of life’s many random occurrences, No Tomorrow captures odd, wonderful serendipities that we encounter from day to day. And production-wise, the record is nothing short of exquisite. Angelic harmonies weave in and out of lush string arrangements, the percussion beats on with an easygoing swing, and an array of organic textures (like the squeak and rubble of a bow on a cello string) puts the record in such a specific place in time. You could almost be right there with Louien, somewhere on a Norwegian peninsula, listening to her perform.
Contemplative and intimate, No Tomorrow feels a little like your first cup of coffee in the morning: a gentle awakening from a long, deep slumber, a fleeting meditative moment, a warm embrace. Rich with the honeyed tones of cello, acoustic guitar, and pedal steel, No Tomorrow really does hit the spot.
Gemma Laurence
