Search - Kate Havnevik :: Melankton

Astounding

Benjamin Norman | Washington DC | 03/29/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Originally my best friend found Kate Havnevik on iTunes long before the album was released in the states. I took one listen and wrote her off because of how *astonishingly* similar she sounded to Imogen Heap. To me, it was some corporate big wig trying to cash in on a good thing. I picked two songs ("Unlike Me" and another one I will go into later) to purchase and called it a day. Enter Grey's Anatomy, showcasing the acapella of "Unlike Me" and the 7 minute extravaganza (extremely reminiscent of Bjork) "New Day", and I realized her voice was really remarkable. I still can't stand buying albums off iTunes so I scoured ebay, searching for a used import copy I could get for cheap. That...didn't happen. Many others had the same idea and I ended up losing every auction. Then I learned that Kate is good friends with Imogen Heap, and that sealed it. She's not a corporate knock off. She's friends with the originator.



March 27th hits and the album drops. The following day I pick it up, practically already bosom buddies with the album having constantly listened to the samples on iTunes (and subsequently shaking my head, trying to wrestle with my normal nature of loving all melodic music and my loyalty to Imogen) and also having Carmen Rizzo's album. Taking a listen through, I was quite pleased with waiting for the album as long as I did. I believe that I am in the proper place, musically, to appreciate this album for the true masterpiece that it is. Calm and almost mournful at times, then plucky and upbeat at others, it's almost the perfect soundtrack to "A week in the life of..." of practically anyone you know.



Except for one thing. "Someday", a massively brilliant orchestral piece where her voice soars over with sympathetic lyrical advice, "You will find someone, someday", was curiously missing. Don't get me wrong, I really appreciate her newest song, "So Lo", but a radio pop piece overtop one of the most beautifully emotional songs I've heard in a long time? It definitely was not one of the wisest choices I've seen. Perhaps it messed with continuity? Ah well. At least I bought it off iTunes.



I can't say that Kate is particularly original but she has loads of talent, and her album is a welcome addition to my collection. I wrestled with myself for a while on this one, and I can say that this is one of the few times I'm glad I lost. You cannot go wrong with Melankton."

Perfection : Beautiful

C. Heath | Seattle, WA USA | 05/14/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Through a series of intensely rich and innovative musical compositions, Kate Havnevik's lush vocals flow seamlessly. This fresh genre, best described as `classica', combines the best elements of electronica and classical music. The live orchestra and subtle synthetic pulses are a sugary treat for the ears and the soul. As warm and laid back as this album is, it's extremely uplifting. In fact, Kate herself describes it as `euphoric'. During production of "Melankton", Kate simultaneously worked on two other albums. She felt that "Melankton" would best introduce her style to the musical world, and so it was released first. "Melankton" translates into `black rose'.



Kate initially trained as a classical musician. She joined a punk rock group as a young woman and quickly lost herself in the electronic sounds, and began experimenting with her own contemporary pieces. Before the release of "Melankton", she previously collaborated with other artists and musicians, providing backup vocals for various singers and assisting in the production of dance tracks.



The vibes of "Melankton" are slow and melodic, but intriguing and extraordinarily beautiful. Every song includes a lovely assortment of brass, strings, rich electronic chords and subtle beats. This album could easily be compared to Bjork's lullaby masterpiece album, "Vespertine", but contains less angst and growls, and includes more smoothness and sensitivity.



"Unlike Me":

As it opens with Kate's wispy vocals and sweet conviction, "Unlike Me" quickly draws the listener in. This song sets the album tone beautifully. Strolling lower string arrangements and subtle vocal edits swell and shrink in the ears. The song is very much like the ocean, rising and falling musically. Kate's love of glissandos (the slow pitch slide of a continuously played note) is extremely obvious in this tune, especially toward the end. In general, the tone of "Unlike Me" is rather dark and mysterious, rich and warm. The harp arrangement is particularly beautiful. With no percussion, Kate's vocals take center stage. (5/5)



"Travel In Time":

Plucking strings remind the listener of a lazy rainy morning. This track is a bit more contemporary, with modern beats. The intense sweeping melodies are still present, as Kate's voice flows effortlessly. The intricate musical arrangements are a treat for the ears. Simple but gorgeous, this track is a wonderful mix of choral sounds and sparkling arpeggios. (5/5)



"I Don't Know You":

The second track is sweeter and less aggressive than the first. "I Don't Know You" opens with a delicate piano, airy synthetic chords and slowly layering strings. Kate's vocals are a bit more reserved, almost childlike. As the song progresses, soft clicks begin to build and create a light percussion sound. The track concludes with harmonious horns. The emotion represented in this tune is struggle and intense wanting. Far less dark, but just as powerful as the opening number. (5/5)



"You Again":

Kate delves into unfamiliar musical territory here, using more brass and more experimentation. The structure of this song is less grand and more focused on individual sounds, such as the gentle hopping of the horns, exotic drumbeats and twinkling keyboards. "You Again" adopts a jazzier groove, and a more intimate setting. This song would sound beautiful performed in a small club. (5/5)



"Not Fair":

Initially, this was one of my personal favorites. It's the first tune that includes a typical drum arrangement, and though it feels a bit more modern and less eccentric than the previous tracks, it makes a huge impression. The strings fly quickly up a musical scale and reel the listener in within the first few seconds. Kate sings with anger and passion, longing for justice. The bridge is particularly intense, with her vocals reaching into a high falsetto. There are also some incredibly beautiful string arrangements throughout the entire song. This is a fantastic song to belt out during those moments of extreme frustration. (5/5)



"Nowhere Warm":

Starting off similar to "I Don't Know You", this song has a similar disposition, but reaches a higher climax toward the end. The string arrangement has a bit more movement and expression. It's difficult to single out the best portions of this song, as it all flows so wonderfully together (most of Kate's pieces are like that). Lyrically, it ends on the lovely conclusion that, after Kate has so emotionally proclaimed her thoughts and feelings, there is `nothing more to say.' (5/5)



"Serpentine":

Much slower and more subdued, "Serpentine" is a fantastic musical soundscape with full string chords, brass, and plucking strings. The crescendo of this track is fantastic: it begins softly, as a mist through dark trees. Once the song matures, it sounds like a full wind on the coast, only to die down to a light breeze once again. Kate's vocals are, as always, warm and inviting. Her higher range sounds lovely here, especially toward the end of the tune. (5/5)



"Kaleidoscope":

Twinkles and lazy strings carry this tune. The vocal arrangement is stunning: Kate's lyrics are absolutely breathtaking. This song seems to be a perennial favorite. It's less aggressive and a bit more vulnerable. The strings swell gently, opening the song with expressive emotion and intensity. The electronic pulses add dimension as the first verse closes. With all the harps, glockenspiels and sparkly arpeggios, one can't help but think of music boxes and Christmastime. There are some beautiful reverb effects included here. (5/5)



"Sleepless":

Slow and subdued, this song reflects the emotions one might feel while crawling endlessly in place. The music perfectly compliments the lyrics, slowly growing into a serious proclamation of hopelessness and sadness. Insomnia was never presented more beautiful than it is here. The bridge features falling and rising arpeggios, and closes with a gentle digital manipulation, blending into the arriving choral strings. As always, Kate closes the track with grace, slowly fading to nothing. (5/5)



"Suckerlove":

The angriest song of the album, Kate's conviction is effortless. The song opens with an exotic dulcimer, rich horns and audio samples sounding like gentle crashes and booms. As always, Kate weaves many strings into the mix, perfectly combining sensitivity with angst. Kate sounds strong and confident here, a switch from most other tunes. In short, she's telling a recent lover how horribly wrong the relationship has gone, and there is no saving it now. A bit brutal, this is a wonderful breakup song for strong and independent women. (5/5)



"Timeless":

After the high of the previous track, it's nice to come down to this lullaby. The same four chords are featured throughout the song, but it's the arrangement and sudden genre switches that make this a fantastic tune. The majority of the song sounds soothing and gentle; perfect for romantic nights and adoring a gorgeous sunset. As the second verse closes, light timpani and electronic beats begin to take over, and it's then that you'll find yourself wanting to hear more. Arpeggios are featured throughout the last portion of the track, with Kate's gentle improvisations adding intensity. Suddenly, the beats drop out and the only sound left is the simple melody line. This is a fabulous track. (5/5)



*"Someday":

This song sounds a bit like something you might hear in a period film, with dramatic horns and classical string arrangements. The lyrics are sensitive and sweet, and Kate sounds wonderful next to the rich chords. While it's a gorgeous song, it sounds a bit out of place on the album. (4/5)



"New Day":

Kate's glissandos are featured here more than any other track on the album. She somehow makes them likable and intriguing, rather than bizarre. The most upbeat track on the album, this is one of the most recognizable songs, thanks to "Grey's Anatomy". Echoing beats and a fuzzy bass are prominent and there are more digital effects to be heard throughout the song. In particular, Kate's pieced-and-placed vocals toward the end make for an interesting and beautiful listen. There are no drastic changes in the song, but every little blip and beep make this the best on the album. The ending is simply gorgeous, with a soft arpeggio popping in one more time for a final moment of reverb bliss. (6/5)



Bonus Track "So:Lo":

The most commercial track, an acoustic guitar begins the song happily, only to be joined by Kate's melancholy lyrics. Despite the title and the general disposition, this comes off as a happy song simply because of the musical arrangement and the fact that Kate is confessing her deep love for another. This is another tune which was featured on "Grey's Anatomy". Kate was wise to include this as a bonus track, as it gives the listener the impression that the album actually ends with "New Day": it ends the album on a much more cohesive note. (5/5)



Finally, a true artist who is more than just another pretty pop face is getting some attention. Thanks to "Grey's Anatomy", Kate is getting the attention she truly deserves. Her innovative songwriting techniques and intricate compositions are both beautiful and likable, without being too far from the norm. You should snag a copy of this album, especially if you enjoy Bjork, Dido, and Enigma.



*Please note: this track is included on the initial `old' version of "Melankton", released in Norway"

Beauty is the Beast...

Angie Engles | Columbia, MD United States | 03/13/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have listened to Kate Havnevik so many times you'd think I'd grow tired of her, but I don't. Her music is so healing. Her voice is so different from other singers...it's a little breathy--which normally irritates me--but it's not "aren't I sexy?" breathy, it's more of an honest, "life has done this to me" kind of sound. I think that's why I put her cd "Melankton" (try saying that twice) on whenever I can't sleep. She sounds like she's seen a lot of sad things and that she'd sit down with you over a glass of wine (maybe beer, but she doesn't have a beer kind of voice) and translate your pain into something so gorgeous your heart would skip several beats.



One of the tracks, "Not Fair," could be straight out of a James Bond film, IF the women in James Bond's life wore their hearts on their sleeves and bared more than just skin. "Suckerlove" seeps into your bones right away with its exotic intro and goes straight to the punch with its message of love and loss.



"I Don't Know You" and "Timeless" are so delicately open that if I listen to them when I'm even the slightest bit sad, I completely lose it and have to find some tissues.



"Kaleidoscope" and "Nowhere Warm"...well, they are so lovely I can't find the right words.



The funny thing is the first time I put it on my stereo I didn't like it that much because I wanted every song to be like her "Grace" (from "Grey's Anatomy") Now, I can't remember the last time I fell so hard for an album.

"