Norwegian duo Band of Gold shook up the Nordic music scene in 2015 when they won the Nordic Music Prize for their debut album, beating out both Björk and Jenny Hval, which is no small feat. Now singer and songwriter Nina Mortvedt and musician/producer Nikolai Eilertsen are back with their sophomore release, Where’s the Magic, slated to drop on 23 March via Jansen Records. The group has a really unique take on pop music with the gentle funky beats, lean arrangements, sudden swells of a guitar rocking out. It’s a minimal canvas with carefully chosen elements that somehow coalesce into an addicting and intriguing sound.
By way of previewing Where’s the Magic, give a listen to “Well Who Am I” and you’ll discover Band of Gold’s singular appeal. Band of Gold’s original Nordic pop is thoroughly of the here and now, nestling nicely into the resurgent electropop scene.
Mortvedt tells PopMatters that “‘Well Who Am I’ is a quick look at how the brain works when in an obsession, making the smallest of details significant and amazing. It’s the yearning and irrational passion that you never get to live out. It makes you numb, feeling like you’re in a constant purple sunset. We had such a blast recording this one, and what Nikolai does with his guitar… I’ll let that speak for itself.”