Oslo-based artist MaVe crafts a magnetic pop sound throughout her new album, Ecstatic / Perplexed, which enamors in its stylish array of both soul-searching momentum and ardent hookiness. The album’s title is reflective of immersive themes within, exploring the relationship between emotional extremes in life — both its euphoric highs and head-scratching moments of perplexity. The release also marks the first time that live drums are incorporated into MaVe’s sound; drummer Halvor Dokke bolsters the productions throughout. The engineering and guitar/bass work of Peter Sørheim also impresses.
Amongst the release’s many standouts, “Someone Else’s House” is especially exemplary of MaVe’s tendency for affecting, replay-inducing productions — here finding enjoyable middle ground between sincere balladry and elongated vocal passion. The album’s original release featured a version without drums, effectively showcasing the gorgeous vocal work and string-laden elegance. Today, April 11th, marks the release of the track’s full version. Now with drums, “Someone Else’s House” unveils its rhythmic additions right away, with clapping enthusiasm.
“These days I’m only listening to unfamiliar sounds,” MaVe’s gripping vocals let out on “Someone Else’s House,” lamenting the feeling of “only existing in someone else’s house.” Fears of growing older before becoming satisfied with oneself are delivered with chilling captivation. Gentle rhythmic propulsions during the central vocal refrain add to the lovely piano and string adornments. The track feels like a centerpiece, thematically, on an album that moves in its depictions of self. “This album is about embracing the contradictions within ourselves,” MaVe says. “It’s an exploration of the exhilarating and the uncertain — sometimes they’re inseparable. I think these two emotional states complements each other, the end of one blends into the beginning of the other and sometimes you don’t even notice the transition.”
The album displays a balance of introspection and hook-filled pop energy throughout, starting with opening track “Power Loving.” “Take my heart, it’s yours to keep,” MaVe sings amidst glimmering organs and sporadic backing vocal reflections. The spirited momentum arrives into an eventual “give me power loving,” refrain — cathartic in its repetition. Ensuing track “Stardust” also compels in its dynamic vocal prowess, moving seamlessly from the quainter “got lost in your echo,” admissions — adorned by lush piano pulses — into a soaring impact: “Stardust doesn’t fly around here no more.” Pit-pattering percussion swells alongside the layered vocals, reminding fondly of a more pop-minded The Knife at points in its aesthetic.
A spoken-word, aspirational vocal immersion pairs with rising intrigue on “Extraordinary,” which unveils a charismatic pop snappiness amidst spacey synth dazzling. “I’m extraordinary,” a catchy vocal bravado lets out, with references to “pushing limits through the roof,” capturing those sentiments of how driving oneself to greatness can arise the interplay between daunting uncertainty and exhilarating self-progress. Lyrical perspectives on personal destiny also enthrall between both piano-set serenity and danceable electro-pop buzzing within “WEAK.” Ecstatic / Perplexed consistently entices replays in its mixture of hooky immediacy and deeply emotional explorations — resulting in a rousing, from-the-heart success.
