2022 was a strange year. In many ways, the worst year for Europe in a long time. The music world got hit as well. But! Even in the darkest times, music can shine some light and bring comfort and distraction. In 2022, Danish music has seen some of the best records in years being released, smashing debuts standing out in the sea of music and surprising tunes coming out.
At Good because Danish we were very picky this passing year, but we managed to find a few releases that truly moved us. Here they are:
Brimheim – “can’t hate myself into a different shape”
Long awaited by our whole team, Brimheim’s debut album was totally worth the wait. The most smashing, powerful debut of the decade, on the Danish music scene.
“can’t hate myself into a different shape” feels like getting to know her as a person. Over the course of this album, I’ve learnt so much about Brimheim’s struggles and innermost feelings, it almost feels like we became friends somehow. I can relate so well to her experiences, as can many from my generation known as millennials. Helena does not just make music, she has something to say. She authentically tells us stories. And that’s what — besides the unique mix of vocals, instrumentation and visual arts — makes Brimheim so exciting. (Mirjam Bär – Good because Danish)
GRETA – “Forever We’ll Be Dancing”
“Forever We’ll Be Dancing” is a listening experience that completely engages my imagination. The second I press play, I stumble upon an exclusive members-only club. I correctly guessed the password, and the bouncer swings the door open to reveal a hazy, underground wonderland. Each song is a different room in this secretive space, and I am eager to immerse myself in all of them. (Angie Leon – Good because Danish)
Asbjørn – “Boyology”
Asbjørn has gone a long way since his debut album “Sunken Ships” in 2012/2015. “Boyology” is the most mature, but at the same time the goofiest in his discography. He found his expression, his unique sound while letting himself be as free as imaginable. In the opening track, “(Love Like A) Teenager”, Asbjørn sings “…My heart, the one thing I’ll never lose,” a perfect summary of the message “Boyology” conveys. He is as true and honest in simply being the queer, pop kid with a relentless urge to dance, as one can be. Throughout the eleven songs on the album, Asbjørn explores love, rejection, lust, doubts, loneliness, as well as happiness and self-confidence. He does so in an extremely personal way but still makes us feel included. It’s been a while since I heard an album so relatable: “Boyology” made me feel seen and understood. (Arletta Przynoga – Good because Danish)
Lydmor – “Nimue”
Lydmor has proven once more that she is the reigning queen of Danish music — in more than one genre. With her 2022 album “Nimue”, she dived deep into acoustic, stripped down compositions, adding her unique, slightly quirky touch to them. “Nimue” contains reinventions of Lydmor’s old songs, unreleased compositions that fans could hear during her highly prised live performances and a few completely new tunes.
All together, the album is an intoxicating, powerful expression of her identity as an artist: She knows who she is, what she is capable of and where she is going. At the same time, this empowering artistic confidence allows Lydmor to explore unknown territories and conquer them. There is a lot of piano, a lot of strange, intriguing background sounds and loops. Still, Lydmor doesn’t completely avoid eletronic sound on “Nimue”. She gracefully connects the worlds of raw, organic sounds with crazy, artificial ones.
It has been a pleasure to follow Lydmor from the very beginning and watch her career progress, her confidence growing and her creativity blossom. We are eager to see what she comes up with in 2023.
Hannah Schneider – “Ocean Letters”
Hannah Schneider was able to lock so much complex emotion in unpretentious compositions on “Ocean Letters”. She speaks softly, yet her powerful message comes through: Do your best during your short stay on this earth, try to notice the beauty and complexity of it. And remember, we are not more than a blink of an eye in the long history of this universe. It has been here long before us, it will be here long after our end. That can be a comforting thought in these uncertain times. (Arletta Przynoga – Good because Danish)
FRUM – “For The Blue Sky”
On her debut album “For The Blue Sky”, FRUM proves that authentic songwriting is needed in the music industry. She also combines two seemingly unconnectable things — simplicity and complexity.
FRUM is Jenný Jónsdóttir Kragesteen, an artist born and raised on the Faroe Islands, currently living in Iceland. Her debut album is a soft, cloud-like pillow you can fall on and hide within. If you feel like running around and not being able to find your place, FRUM brings comfort and reassurance. The arrangements of the songs create multilayered musical microverses, giving the listener space to resonate with the lyrics.
“For The Blue Sky tells the story of a young woman finding her way in a world, where options are endless and self-doubt is real, but in the end finds the right path again – for herself, for everyone else, for the blue sky. Frum wrote the songs of the album in times when she was mentally at extreme lows but also extreme highs” (press)
between mermaids and me – “Reality Cravings”
between mermaids and me is an Aarhus-based Glitch-Pop duo, consisting of Andreas Pilgaard and Stine Drejer. Their debut EP/mini-album “Reality Cravings” delivers a well-balanced mix of raw and dreamy electronic compositions that move your feet, as well as your soul. It is refreshing to listen to an album with an edge, emerging from the sea of generic pop tunes flooding the radio and streaming services.
between mermaids and me takes what’s best from Danish noir electronic, add a hint of their own spice and mix it all together with firm hand. We hope this EP is only a beginning of a great musical journey.
Fallulah – “Autumn Leaves” + “My Love”
In 2022, Fallulah decided not to release her upcoming album on any streaming services. With that move, she regained full ownership of her music. It reminded me that at the end of the day being an artist is her job and she should get paid for it. Her two singles from the upcoming album, “Autum Leaves” and “My Love” are like two sides of the same coin that is Fallulah’s music. “Autumn Leaves” is a gentle, melancholic track, with a strong “flower children” vibe. The melancholy captured in the song is mesmerizing. “My Love” on the other hand is an energeting composition, sounding almost dangerous.
With two new songs, Fallulah once again raised expectations. We are 100% sure that her new album will meet them all.
Where Did Nora Go – “Undivided”
“Undivided” is a complex EP, each song has layers that unwind, and every listen brings out something new. Where Did Nora Go mixes classical instruments with artificial, electronic elements in a delicate way. She dives into production together with Aske Bode, with an open mind and the courage to try out something new.
It’s heartwarming that despite the madness and cruelty of the world, we can always turn to music. We can always enter a magical, mystical and hopeful world of artists like Where Did Nora Go and let go of worries for a moment. “Undivided” offers a different perspective. If you’re in doubt about the world, listen to this EP. You should feel more hopeful in the end. We can always change and transform into a better version of ourselves, thus transforming the world into a better place. All we need to do is try. (Arletta Przynoga – Good because Danish)
Josephine Philip – “We Get Lost And Found”
Josephine Philip’s solo album “We Get Lost And Found” makes me think of a hot summer spent somewhere in the middle of nowhere. No energy to move, you just lay down staring at the ventilation fan on the ceiling and think. I picture a long ferry cruise when there is absolutely nothing to do but to look to the horizon and think. It makes me see a misty, rainy day where there is nothing else to do than to sit at the window, watch the raindrops fall and… think.
With her complex music, taking inspiration from so many different genres and styles, Josephine Philip made an album that’s perfect for contemplation. It requires undivided attention, time and space to really dive into it. But once you do, it will swallow you whole and it will be the best feeling in the world to disappear into “We Get Lost And Found”.
WhoMadeWho – Abu Simbel (Hania Rani Invalides Version)
Last, but not least, a reinvention of WhoMadeWho song “Abu Simbel” that is a true gem. Hania Rani, a Polish piano composer and artist took the electronic masterpiece of WhoMadeWho, stripped it down to the very core and put her heart and soul into the song. The final effect is stunning. This version of “Abu Simbel” is hypnotizing, addictive and sounds completely out of this world. To hear a composition that has so much potential that it can be made into two so different versions, but still keep its core identity and uniqueness is to witness the true power of good music.
2022 was not an easy year. 2022 was a year of doubts, fear, insecurity. 2022 was a tough year to keep on going with Good because Danish. We made it to the other side and as always, we all wish for a better year to come. May 2023 be a simpler year, filled with good music.
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