Trentemøller
‘Obverse,’ which is a reference to counterparts or opposites, makes sense when you consider Trentemøller’s history of treading in between his engagement with both the indie and electronic genre tags, often layering darkwave-indebted beats underneath the vocals of some of indie rock’s premier frontwomen. This subtle A&R works to the greatest effect when the artist employed feels a less obvious choice, such as “In the Garden,” an album highlight where Lina Tullgren’s breathy intonation lands strikingly with the most immediate and memorable lyrics of the record: “golden like someone you knew before.” “Blue September” also draws parallels to fellow techno auteur Daniel Avery, another producer who has tangled up his shoegaze and post punk influences into a masterclass of electronics abundantly their own.
Conversely, the Slowdive pairing is less effective, and the swooning atmospherics that Trentemøller has built a career out of come to their most emphatically literal mid album with “One Last Kiss to Remember,” which feels much too heavy-handed a choice for the producer to play this far along in his career. However, there is something to admire in Trentemøller’s pure intentions that have followed him throughout the years, reliably presenting honest music that pushes the identity of his native Copenhagen to the forefront, always recognizable in the severe landscapes he presents. You can see the contrast of extreme light and dark, synonymous with the Scandinavian seasons, reflected in the rosy, almost disco-hued “Try A Little”, another album highlight that lands far lovelier than the overtly literal preceding “Foggy Figures.” In 2019, Trentemøller has built a wide-reaching vision with a lot of ambition, but perhaps a pivot to dream pop should be his next course?
'Obverse' is out 27th September on In My Room.
courtesy TRENTEMØLLER
words RUBY HOFFMAN
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