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Danish singer songwriter Oh Land returns in 2013 with her third album entitled Wish Bone. This follows the success of her second self titled LP which allowed her to break the UK and US with singles including ‘White Nights’ and ‘Son of a Gun’. This LP doesn’t differ greatly from the left hand pop the singer is known for, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
There is more silky smooth electro pop with those distinctive Scandinavian vocals on the lead single ‘Renaissance Girls’ with an added up tempo beat making it radio friendly, yet it unfortunately lacks a bite. ‘Cherry On Top’ has the melodic elements of a Beyonce ballad yet Nanna is not known for brash over the top vocals or pulled out notes, so we return to narrated choruses but with a refreshing R & B beat, meaning you’re offered a more three dimensional pop song.
‘My Boxer’ beckons in a new era of Oh Land, adding evidence of a real hip hop and techno influence to this record. It makes for a really interesting track with a dirty electro riff as she hums ‘Baby likes whip’; it’s a change in direction but this shows natural development which the first few tracks seemed to lack. ‘Sleep Town’ has fragmented choruses reminiscent of ‘Wolf & I’ in which you can hear potential for stadium sized electro pop with soaring choruses without losing the understated nature of the distinct vocal.
‘Pyromaniac’ has a delicious 80s disco vibe as Oh Land channels Sister Sledge with a whispered hush and a killer hook paired with intelligent lyrics. She allows her Danish distinction to shine on this catchy single. The R & B production continues on ‘Green Card’, which would sit comfortably on Lana Del Rey’s debut with the amount of pained vocal and echoed shrieks in the darkness; it’s a shame the lyrical matter is pretty awful but in terms of composition and production, this track shines.
It is fair to say that Wish Bone is an album of two halves. It feels as though the first four tracks are meant to ease listeners in and to show that Nanna has not abandoned all of what made her second LP so great. However, you’re then left with the likes of ‘3 Chances’ which just feel stale and sedentary and could almost act as a deluxe repackage of the album. The second half moves into more experimental territory and it shows real progression in developing a solid and unique sound which crosses many genres rather successfully. There is not a cemented release date for the UK, but Oh Land will be touring later in December, which is a rare occasion so if you’re able to get tickets I would highly recommend it. She has an impressive setlist built up around all three albums.
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