Poetic, Bright and Expressive

Danish musician Nanna Øland Fabricius, famously known as Oh Land, released her new album, entitled Loop Soup, on September 29. This expressive pop album is filled with bright sounds, catchy melodies and relatable lyrics. Listeners may be pleasantly surprised to learn that beyond the forefront of the danceable grooves heard throughout Loop Soup, there are deeper meanings behind each song. Oh Land explains, “A lot of these songs are targeting issues in society and the struggle of finding my space within it. Conflicts in myself made into songs. The older I get the more I question the structure of the world that I’m living in. This album is a pathfinder or an emotional compass of my own space venture. Weaving in and out of memories, future dreams and having to deal with the present.”

The first track on Loop Soup, “I’d Rather Sing,” immediately highlights the poetic, relatable lyrics and deeper messages behind each tune. A repeated, glittering synth line and buzzy synth bass notes are heard while Oh Land sings, “What is it they know that I don’t get / Speaking in a foreign alphabet / I never did I never did / I’d rather sing instead.” Oh Land states that through this song, she is “commenting on the pressure of and expectations of rushing through an educational system to be spat out on the work market.” She does a great job of communicating the struggles of an artist in a corporate world through her lyrics.

The next track, “Bleed” is a tremendously upbeat and melodic tune that features jazzy synth chords, low-register guitar patterns and punchy drums. The unexpectedly dismal lyrics were a nice touch to this tune, which focus on the dark reality of social media; how we strive for attention and likes to experience that “high.” Not to mention, the incredibly catchy chorus definitely makes “Bleed” a standout.

“Pressure’s On” is filled with interesting sounds and timbres. The track begins with what sounds like birds chirping, followed by bold chords and high-pitched synth slides. Throughout this track, more and more instruments are layered that give “Pressure’s On” the perfect amount of tonal colors, like reverberant steel drums and frog-like bass notes.

Although the final track, “Pretty Is Dead,” has some compelling elements, it is overall an underwhelming conclusion to Loop Soup. The 6/8 time signature and Spanish lyrics were a great attempt at making this track stand out, however, the melody and groove of this tune feel a bit dull compared to the rest. On top of that, the piercing call and response vocal patterns aren’t very pleasant to the ear. Despite this, Loop Soup is a predominantly effective and bright album. It is clear that Oh Land put plenty of thought into this album and her lyrics undoubtedly shine through.