Scandinavian Artist Turns From Black Metal To Folksy Roots

“Plead the 5th” Young T & Bugsey Epic Records

Off the heels of major buzz and a Top 10 UK single, rising British rap duo Young T & Bugsey released their debut mixtape “Plead the 5th” on March 20.

On their debut project, Young T & Bugsey showcase their unique rap ability, along with their knack for creating earworms, proving that they are one of the most promising young talents coming out of the UK today. “Plead the 5th” embodies all of the core elements that the duo have come to be celebrated for around the world, featuring jumpy and energetic tracks, while also having a perfect blend of catchy and vibey tracks.

“Folkesange” Myrkur Relapse Records

Myrkur’s Amalie Bruun has always paved her own path and challenged underground preconceptions of heavy genres. Just after new found motherhood, Bruun set out on a journey into the very heart of the Scandinavian culture that marked her own childhood with her latest album, “Folkesange,” out March 20.

“Folkesange” relinquishes Bruun’s former home in black metal for a refined yet far-reaching evocation of traditional folk, combining songs ancient and new to sublimely resonant effect.

Storytelling, rites of passage and the invocation of a continuity that passes through time and generation are all part of folk music’s tapestry, and “Folkesange” taps into all these currents in their most essential form. In part a purist’s approach to the genre, free from over-interpretation and fusion, the use of Kulning (an ancient Scandinavian herding call) and traditional instruments throughout, such as nyckelharpa, lyre and mandola, offer a deeper, more tactile connection to their source, an unbroken line of communication back to the past.

“woman, here” Ada Lea Saddle Creek and Next Door Records

Less than a year after the release of her highly acclaimed debut album, “what we say in private,” Montreal, Quebec-based musician Alexandra Levy — stage name Ada Lea — returned March 27 with a new four-song EP which acts as a bridge between what’s come before and where she means to go next. A mix of both the old and new, the “woman, here” EP takes its name from a brand new composition recorded recently in LA with Marshall Vore (Phoebe Bridgers, Better Oblivion Community Center). Perhaps her most direct work to date, the new song offers a beautiful glimpse into the bold new chapter of Ada Lea.

The EP also offers two previously unheard recordings from the “what we say in private” sessions, in the form of the reflective and melancholy “perfect world,” and the sparse and dream-like “jade,” which was inspired by a John Updike short story. A glimpse behind the curtain, Levy says the new EP should be seen as being “like a second cousin” to “what we say in private.” “We included the songs that we still felt close to, but didn’t seem to have a place on the album.”

“My Heart, My Love” Loren Oden Linear Labs

The debut album from Loren Oden, “My Heart, My Love,” dropped on May 1 as the Los Angeles-based singer shares a uniquely curated sound with the listener: one with lyrical transparency and vulnerability, reminiscent of classic black soul and progressive R&B. While this is his debut album, this is not the first time many music fans have heard Oden’s unmistakable voice. He has become the mellifluous bedrock of multi-instrumentalist Adrian Younge’s psychedelic sound, singing lead on most of Younge’s expansive musical catalog.

Loren was born into a musical family in Compton, Calif., and grew up in the church, studying gospel as well as secular greats like Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke. Throughout the years, his affinity with lyricism and vocal arranging grew, catching the ear of his longtime friend, Younge, who produced and orchestrated the record. His undeniable connection to Marvin Gaye’s poetic susceptibility paired with the genius of Younge’s soothing orchestral creations is the collaboration music fans have wanted. “My Heart, My Love” is a cultivated body of work, for the sophisticated lover, going deep into the guarded emotions we all try to avoid. The inspiration has always come from timeless music, and Oden and Younge have created an aural treasure that is sure to live on.