Tag: Gaffa Awards

Video by William Ruben Helms

Lyric Video: Norway’s Beharie Shares Bouyant and Flirty “Desire”

Rising Norwegian singer/songwriter and pop artist Beharie has been busy over the past handful of years. Since 2019, he has released three EPs:

Each of those efforts have seen the rising Norwegian artist constantly expanding upon his sound, artistry and message, while refining his focus towards what’s to come.

Beharie’s highly-anticipated full-length debut, the 12-song Are You There Boy? is slated for an October 20, 2023 release. The album reportedly meets the artist where he is right now and invites listeners into a carefully curated sonic world that features vibrant melodies and delicate, smooth vocals. Thematically, the album sees the rising Norwegian exploring theme so love, self-doubt, desire, longing and pain with his heart worn proudly on his sleeve — and with a remarkable sense of nuance. The album follows a multi-faceted, fully-fleshed out character, who seeks meaningful connections, follows his curiosity where it takes him and ultimately discovers himself. As a result, the album sees its creator and its main narrator exploring the ever-changing, versatile aspects of his own humanity and identity, showcasing his growth, insecurities, passions and complexities.

“This album has given me the opportunity to delve into various aspects of my own identity, and in the process, I have explored the complexity inherent in my personality and expression,” Beharie explains. “We have nurtured different characters and played with their distinct expressions. These characters have been assigned unique names: Washed-out jeans boy, float in space boy, constant fear boy, make believe boy, and lost in thought boy.” Fittingly, each of those characters represents fragments of Beharie’s soul, personality and essence — all in search of a sense of belonging.

The album also features collaborations with two rising singer/songwriters — Dublin‘s Uly and The Netherlands’ Judy Blank.

Are You There Boy?‘s latest single, the flirty and playful “Desire” is built around a buoyant melodic groove, skittering boom bap serving as an ethereal and silky bed for Beharie’s tender and yearning delivery. The song’s narrator sweetly wants to prove to a prospective love interest, that he’s the right one for them — and for the rest of their lives. Behave explains that “Desire” is a confident love song about “insisting on being the right one for someone you like and telling them without any doubt, and being willing to do anything to make it happen.” 

Ultimately, “Desire” to me reveals a songwriter, who is able to effortlessly craft a catchy pop tune rooted in earnest, heartfelt lyricism while eschewing cliches and formulas.

Video by William Ruben Helms

New Video: JOVM Mainstays Beverly Kills Release an 80s Rom Com-Inspired Visual for Swooning and Anthemic “In This Dim Light”

Over the past year or so, I’ve written a bit about the Gothenburg, Sweden-based indie rock quartet Beverly Kills, and as you may recall with the release of singles like “Fourteen,” “Melodrama,” and “Dreamless” the band quickly received attention across the blogosphere and elsewhere for a shimmering, anthemic hook-based 4AD Records era take on dream pop. In fact, last year was a huge year for the rising Swedish dream pop quartet: they were named one of the Best Swedish Indie Debuts of 2018” by HYMN, received a Gaffa Awards nomination for Breakthrough of the Year, and played a Viva Sounds Festival showcase in their hometown.

Building upon a growing profile, the band played several by:Larm Festival sets opening for Agent bla, Moaning and Vasterbron earlier this year — and they signed to Australian indie label Hell Beach and Swedish label Welfare Sounds, both of whom released “Revellers” earlier this year. The Gothenburg-based dream pop quartet and JOVM mainstays have been rather busy this year as they promptly followed the release of “Revellers” with the limited edition double single vinyl “In This Dim Light”/”Melodrama,” which was released last month. “In This Dim Light” continues a run of shimmering and anthemic singles — but unlike their predecessors, the song conveys the tumultuous and desperately urgent quality of young love. 

Directed by Jakob Ekvall, the recently released video features the band playing at a high school prom in front of a rom full of young people, who are trying to navigate the turbulence of being a teenager — and that of being in a relationship. Most of the video focuses on a prototypical nervous and anxious nerd, who shoots his shot and eventually wins the attention of the prom queen. With the heavy use of pastels and some clearly 80s-like outfits, the video seems indebted to John Hughes films and other classic 80s films. 

Single Review by William Ruben Helms

With the release of singles like “Fourteen,” “Melodrama,” and “Dreamless” the Gothenburg, Sweden-based indie rock quartet Beverly Kills quickly received attention across the blogosphere last year for a shimmering, 4AD Records era take on dream pop, complete with rousing and enormous hooks. Adding to a big year for the Gothenburg-based quartet was named one of the “Best Swedish Indie Debuts of 2018” by HYMN, received a Gaffa Awards nomination for Breakthrough of the Year, and played a Viva Sounds Festival showcase in their hometown. Later this month, the band will play several by:Larm Festival sets for Agent bla, Moaning and Vasterbron.

Building upon a rapidly growing, buzz-worthy profile, the band recently signed to Australian indie label Hell Beach and Swedish label Welfare Sounds, both of whom have released the band’s latest single “Revellers” will further cement the band’s reputation for crafting 4AD Records-inspired guitar pop with enormous hooks — but the song arguably features one of the tightest rhythm section playing I’ve heard from the band yet.

Hell Beach and Walfare Sounds will be releasing a limited edition double single vinyl record “In This Dim Light”/”Melodrama” in late April.