SIKADE - “eleven”
Photo by Emil Vestre
Oslo, Norway-based singer songwriter Linnea Vestre, aka SIKADE, returns to the blog with the delicately intoxicating dream pop track, “eleven.”
“eleven” is a gorgeous, vast, unhurried listen which only makes this track more powerful. Despite its modest production and deceptive simplicity, it is enchantingly cohesive and evocatively reassured.
As the layers intertwine and melt into each other there is a dreamy mesmerising quality that beckons you to just let go and bliss out. Whether it is the harp, strings, or the slowly unfurling ambient washes of sound, the music never strays from a picturesque, calm, cathedral-esque atmosphere. It feels like the type of music that is best appreciated at loud volumes in open spaces in the same way Sigur Rós build soundtracks to scenery.
SIKADE complements the floating atmospheric with a stunningly gorgeous, otherworldly performance that I can only describe as cinematic balladry. Meditative, restrained yet rich in feeling the performance is enhanced by richly textured harmonies and windy choir embellishments. It is only when you dive into the lyrics that the melancholic feelings of the song become more apparent, dealing with trauma, loss and the end of innocence.