The Inside Pulse
The Tourniquet, the second album by Norwegian singer/songwriter Even Johansen, aka Magnet, is a lush collection of chamber pop ballads, most notable for their ornate instrumentation and Johansen’s lullabye-like voice. Like David Gray, Johansen infuses his songs with electronic sounds, which both starkly contrast and seemlessly merge with the instrumental orchestration. With Jason Falkner (among others) at the helm, Johansen has crafted an intricate set of slow-burners.
The Positives
What’s so interesting is how electronic beeps and beats interact seamlessly with the dense orchestration. This album is mixed so well that you are introduced to every detail on first listen, and hear more upon further spins. Seemless in flow, “The Tourniquet” works well as a whole piece.
The Negatives
The Tourniquet starts out so strongly with “Hold On” but takes a little while to pick up again. The album is very down-beat and atmospheric, so individual tracks may not stand out.
Cross-Breed
David Gray meets Sarah McLachlan as produced by Jon Brion. Duncan Shiek-y at times.
Reason to Buy
If you’re a fan of beautiful, densely produced electronic-infused chamber pop, you can’t go wrong. If you’ve been wondering what Jason Falkner’s been up to lately, you’ll want to check this out.
