Christmas, my child, is love in action.
Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas. – Dale Evans
Welcome to Part 2 of the Good Because Danish Advent Calendar 2021! As the days flew by this past week, Denmark experienced the first snow this winter. Along with white winter wonderland landscapes and the smell of hot gløgg, here are seven songs that will hopefully spark the holiday spirit in your heart. Remember to check our social media for daily Advent treats following up until the 24. December!
6. December
Brimheim – “Call It What You Want”
This artist is as remarkable and unique as a snowflake. Brimheim’s blend of indie rock and goth pop, together with a sparkling charisma is overwhelming at times. When you listen to songs like “Call It What You Want”, you find yourself starstruck, even though Brimheim is still an upcoming artist. This song is a great reminder of how we often focus too much on nomenclature. Definitions, regulations, explanations… All that is important. However, sometimes it is good to put formalities aside and focus on how we feel.
7. December
When Saints Go Machine – “Emotional”
“Emotional” is a musical equivalent of a chameleon. The chilled-out opening, akin to mellow hip-hop tunes, turns into a multi-layered centerpiece of the song. Echoes of beats and vocals are intertwined with each other. The confidence resulting from the band’s joy of pushing their comfort zone and expanding their capacity makes “Emotional” a beautifully unconventional t track.
8. December
MALMØ – “Frostbit
Maria Malmø has the voice of an ancient goddess, and the accompanying music is always mystical and magical. Standing with those who fear for our planet, Maria’s EP “The Inevitable End” offers her personal take on the issue.“From my window I can see the farmer poisoning the field, I’ve heard the precious ice creaking in retreat in Greenland; and a recent miscarriage left me fearing the toxins I’d previously consumed without knowing,” she explains the EP. “In these 5 songs, these predictions, I explore what it is that threatens humanity — from the outside and from within — to encourage awareness and hope for future generations.” The background of the song “Frostbite” is somewhat depressing or thought-provoking, but the melody has locked in calmness and acceptance. Maybe we all need the cold to freeze us a little bit, otherwise we are too busy rushing to get nowhere, with no time to see what is happening around us.
9. December
Lucky Lo – “Sunrise/Sunset”
Lucky Lo is a Swedish singer-songwriter based in Copenhagen. Her songs have a dreamy yet funky vibe, with a classic guitar sound in the centre. “Sunrise/Sunset” is a wonderful, slowly flowing track, a tribute to Lucky Lo’s friend who passed away. “Every second of you is a second of me,” she sings, implying that people can be connected like sunrise and sunset: there’s no one without the other. Lucky Lo sends a message of love, longing, but also a promise to keep on going. “Sunrise/Sunset” is a touching reminder that life isn’t aways sweet. Loss of a loved one hurts, but it doesn’t excuse us from living our own lives. Many of us have experienced loss over the past couple years, but we can find ourselves in Lucky Lo’s song and try to thrive, even with a heavy heart.
10. December
Astrid Cordes – “Portrait”
Astrid Cordes, previously a part of Shy Shy Shy, started releasing music as a solo artist this year, leaning in a more thoughtful and darker direction. Her soft vocals fit the transparent lyrics, as she opens up about painful personal experiences like misscarriage with a brave and touching vulnerability.
The song “Portrait” was inspired by the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and its rooms full of the artist’s self-portraits. “Looking at painting after painting of the same face, it became clear to me that I do the exact same thing,” Cordes says, “I paint the picture of who I am over and over again, and I am never completely satisfied with the result. It’s as if I’m always a little off.” Aren’t we all doing that with ourselves? Putting on masks to fit different situations, environments, people… Maybe December is a good month to stop walking from room to room looking at versions of the same face and find the real one.
11. December
VOLA – “24 Light-Years”
VOLA’s “24 Light-Years” marries the light and the heavy to become epic. Let go of what you thought were genres and enjoy beautiful vocals combined with smashing and elaborate drums. Let them take you on a journey to an otherworldly state of mind you could have never imagined yourself, visualised in all-blue space animation.
12. December
GRO – “One Two Free Fall”
On International Suicide Prevention Day, GRO released “One Two Free Fall”, a beautiful song about the pain caused by a loved one’s suicide. GRO sensitively describes the feelings that come up when something like that happens – the guilt, the grief, the anger and, finally, the acceptance a bereaved can feel all come into music in just one song.
“One Two Free Fall” is delicate and silent, focusing on harp and voice for the most part, depicting all the difficult emotions with respect. In the bridge, GRO forms a louder and fuller climax, vocalising the words “If your eyes were still around, could you see me now? Would you tell me you were proud?” again and again. You can almost touch the longing that resonates throughout the song.
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