Girl in Purple typically appears fearless. From her uncooked first single I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend, Marie Ulven has laid all the things naked in desperately romantic queer love songs and blunt, sincere lyrics about despair. Her full-band stay reveals are virtually reckless: at her 2022 Glastonbury efficiency, she plunged into the mosh pit, mic nonetheless on.
Since that debut, the Norwegian singer-songwriter has developed her lo-fi indie rock into widescreen alt-pop – however this maximalist second album, arriving after her assist slot on Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, heralds Ulven’s first actual bid for giant pop theatrics. It’s additionally a 10-track rebuttal to a lover who tried to make her really feel small: “I toned myself down for you / Quantity one virtually mute,” she sings on lead single Too A lot, earlier than brash, jarring synths stab angrily by the pre-chorus.
The outlandish title observe is confidence at full quantity. Cartoonish “whoosh” noises, a banjo breakdown and a retro guitar solo make it a wild foil for Ulven’s swagger: “I’m on a brand new degree!” Vibrant manufacturing (by Ulven and Matias Tellez) lends quirky touches all through – synth pop Phantom Ache segues into lush strings and birdsong, after which pummelling percussion – but in addition a Disneyfied, saccharine really feel to the report’s softer songs, watering down their candid lyrics. Choose Me has the potential to be a showstopper, however glosses over Ulven’s visceral vocals. I’m Doing It Once more Child! takes huge, daring swings. A few of them miss. However threat, as Ulven sings on usually frank opener I’m Again, is “all a part of being alive”.
