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Sondre Lerche Shares New EP Turning Up The Heat Again
The annual tradition is a gift to those of us who live for the deep cuts and the unexpected cover, and this year, Norwegian singer-songwriter Sondre Lerche delivered once again with his hauntingly beautiful, acoustic-led take on Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars's 'Die With A Smile. ' Sent to Stereogum as his latest musical Christmas present, the track is a masterclass in reinterpretation, stripping the pop duet's soaring, 80s-inspired production down to its melancholic, romantic core, letting Lerche's warm, intimate vocals and intricate guitar work carry the emotional weight.It’s a move that feels quintessentially Lerche—an artist who has spent over two decades gracefully navigating the spaces between sophisticated pop, jazz-inflected folk, and bossa nova elegance, never content to simply replicate a sound but always seeking to uncover its hidden, beating heart. This cover wasn't just a seasonal offering; it was a subtle prelude, a quiet tuning of the instrument before the main performance.Now, that performance has arrived with the release of his new EP, 'Turning Up The Heat Again,' a concise yet potent collection that feels like a natural, vibrant extension of the artistic curiosity on display in that Gaga/Mars cover. For long-time followers, Lerche's career has been a fascinating vinyl collection of its own, each album a distinct record shelved next to the last—from the youthful, breezy pop of 'Faces Down' that first broke him internationally, through the orchestral ambitions of 'Phantom Punch,' the introspective folk of 'Please,' and the synth-dappled landscapes of his self-titled 2022 album.This new EP, however, doesn't represent a stark left turn so much as a refined consolidation, a confident artist turning up the dials on his signature warmth and melodic precision. The title track, 'Turning Up The Heat Again,' simmers with a laid-back, West Coast groove, all sun-drenched guitars and a rhythm section that swings with effortless cool, reminiscent of peak-era Steely Dan or a lost track from Fleetwood Mac's 'Tango in the Night.' It's a song about rekindling—a relationship, a passion, a creative spark—and the production mirrors that theme, building layers of harmony and texture until it glows. Another standout, 'Alone in the Night,' delves into more atmospheric territory, with spacious arrangements and lyrical themes of nocturnal introspection that recall the cinematic sweep of his work on the 'Dan in Real Life' soundtrack.What makes Lerche's songwriting consistently compelling is its emotional specificity wrapped in universally accessible melodies; he can craft a hook that sticks with you for days while painting a lyrical picture that feels both personal and vividly relatable. The EP's release strategy itself is a note in the modern musician's playbook—a strategic, content-rich rollout that leverages the connective power of a well-loved cover to engage his dedicated fanbase before delivering the new original material they crave.
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