Conjuring dark electro-pop tension much like The Knife, London-based duo Soft as Snow engineer globs of warbly, nightmare-ish synths underneath haunting female vocals and hypnotic post-punk percussion. Soft as Snow are originally from Norway, so the Scandinavian knack for wonderfully melodic electronic pop persists. A track like “Black Birds” is a nocturnal prowl through crawling synths and vocals that alternate from highly anthemic to nonchalantly indecipherable. The click-clacking percussion of “Glass Body” shows a more patient approach, where tribal drums build up before a flurry of playful synth pads craft a crystallized soundscape. Oda Egjar Starheim’s vocals remain powerfully mysterious throughout, here and on the highly emotive “Halo Heart”, which builds toward chaotic moments like at 01:16, where a powerhouse of creepy synths collide over Starheim’s vocals for a truly powerful experience. Keep an eye on this highly inventive electro-pop duo; Soft as Snow are going places.
