Norwegian singer and songwriter Hilde Marie Kjersem come from a background in jazz, however, on this her first solo album she has taken on pop in alternative robes, comparable to her Scandinavian sisters in spirit Stina Nordenstam, Anja Garbarek and Randi Laubek.

It does come off to a slow start with opener ‘Sleepyhead’ (apt title) followed by ‘Mary Full Of Grace’, two songs going absolutely nowhere and really the only two of the 11 songs you can do without. However, the calm is then stormed by fair and boisterous ‘Fantasy’ that sounds like just that, only not a really pleasant one, and from then on out Kjersem doesn’t put a foot wrong.

Experimental a cappella (the title track and very short hymn ‘Save Up’), folk, electronica and jazz elements effortlessly intertwine in a sweet treat of alt-pop, reaching over the top in country inspired ‘Midwest Country’ (in the player below), deceivingly simple protest song ‘London Bridge’, pop march ‘Marie Antoinette’ and ‘It Is Easy’, starting out a piano ballad but torn by a surprising, symphonic and bloodcurdling chorus.

Hilde Marie Kjersem has said that her music isn’t melancholic, but I’ll take my chances and say the better part is, anyway. Come on, it’s Scandinavia – melancholy is what we do best! But ‘A Killer For That Ache’ is also beautiful, achingly so at times, playful and solemn, pop and alternative. In short, a really good album…

Genre: Pop
Who: Hilde Marie Kjersem
Album: A Killer For That Ache
Label: Rune Grammofon
Year: 2008
Country: Norway
Language: English
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Recommended tracks:
Fantasy – Marie Antoinette – A Killer For That Ache – Midwest Country – London Bridge – It Is Easy