Heatwaves: Kappa

It did not take long to make a return trip to Bergen, Norway. The band is Heatwaves and their debut album Kappa came out in 2023. The foursome consists of the following players:

Jakob Monsen Hjelmeland (drums, percussion, backing vocals)
Jonas Saersten (keyboards, backing vocals)
Pablo Tellez (bass, percussion, backing vocals)
Eirik Marinius Sandvik (guitar, vocals)

I found this album to be a rather unique listen. It is one part indie pop, one part jazz, and one part psychedelic. It is an intoxicating and heady concoction that is both gripping and chill inducing. In fact, the name of the band says it rather well. This album will fit nicely in my summertime playlist beginning with the first track “Squids�, a quirky blend of jazz and psychedelic pop, including a liquid-like guitar tone that sounds great. The slow groove in “Dirty Rats� is smooth as silk, the guitar textures infused with psychedelics and the subtle changes add just a hint of quirkiness my ears crave. The first vocal track is the refined nuanced pop of “Hercule Poirot� having such a cool, relaxed sound. This one hits in all the right places and perhaps its strongest asset is the excellent lead and backing vocals. The fact that each member sings is a big plus for the band. The deep percussive groove, clean guitar and wild instrumental change up in the complex “Aladdin Snake Oil� and the chilled out Steely Dan vibe in “Nügel� are more wonderful moments in an album of many.

Kappa is such a subtle and thoughtful work, an album that should relieve the daily stresses of everyday life. That, in and of itself, makes this essential listening in my book. Recommended.

An Apollon Records’ release.

Track Listing:
1. Squids
2. Dirty Rats
3. Hercule Poirot
4. Aladdin Snake Oil
5. Nügel
6. Always Talking Shop (Forget To Stop)
7. Kappa
8. Mountain Dew
9. Kawako
10. In Disguise
11. River Rascal

Added: August 7th 2024
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Band @ Bandcamp
Hits: 322
Language: english

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