In the world of Pop music, there are a few artists that stand out, and Scottish Singer-Songwriter Nina Nesbitt is one of them. Involved in music since a young age, Nesbitt has steadily built a career over the past decade. Releasing a series of EPs prior to her Peroxide album in 2014, early on, Nesbitt showcased an impressive blend of Folk and Pop that attracted listeners. Following up with her chart-topping Sun Will Come Up, the Seasons Will Change in 2019, while scoring two Top 40 Hits along the journey, in 2022 she returns with the highly anticipated album, Älskar.
Released September 2nd through Cooking Vinyl, Nesbitt’s third album finds her wandering down a path of her heritage, but also opening her heart up to share deep thoughts with the world. Running just under 40 minutes, the twelve songs showcase not only her rich voice but also some very thoughtful lyrical content.
In truth, it feels like a breath of fresh air, and this has never felt more real than within the introduction track “Gaol” which includes a plethora of people saying “I love you” in various languages. From here the music kicks in with the catchy, soft, and dreamy “Teenage Chemistry.” This is followed by the more straightforward, brutally honest “No Time (For My Life to Suck)” where Nesbitt makes it clear she knows what she wants.
Thereafter you have the catchy melodies and addictive chorus of “Pressure Makes Diamonds,” the soft, reminiscent “Dinner Table,” before the more somber “WYLS” … which is really a beautiful piece about life’s unfortunate tragedies. Picking up the mood, there are also songs like “Limited Edition,” but also more acoustic-based ones like “I Should Be a Bird” and also extremely touching ones such as “Colours of You” where Nesbitt tickles your ears with delicate piano notes.
Then, just when you think Nesbitt cannot tug at your heartstrings anymore, “Older Guys” hits you as a bittersweet piece about past love and a broken heart. From here she keeps the emotions high, finding her way with “Heirlooms” and wrapping the set up with “Älskar” painting vivid imagery through texture and atmosphere.
Overall, Älskar rewards you with a gentle and smooth collection of songs about love, heartbreak, family, and everything in-between. What makes the album truly stand out though is the fact that it does not just include Pop songs, but also showcases Nesbitt’s abilities to write deeply moving songs that center solely around guitar, piano, and her voice. Nestling itself deep under your skin, Cryptic Rock gives Älskar 4 out of 5 stars.
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