A Full LP from Gunnva Has Arrived

The long-awaited LP from Gunnva has finally arrived, and I've been waiting for this one for quite a bit, even though she's been dropping singles leading up to this.

The new album titled MONOCHROME showcases all the very best attributes of the artist and how she builds her songs to create atmospheres that stay with you, stories that connect, and gives pieces of herself with just about each track she puts out there.

There's always a little bit of a cinematic undertone to the music, and the first track on the record is an introduction that does an amazing job of pulling you in. You start to get the emotional backbone and vast underbelly from piano, atmospheric and ambient synth pads, and honest lyrics.

Again, this is just an introduction and is a short track that brings you straight into the first full song on the record, "In My Heart", which delivers a blend of contemporary pop that just feels so warm, and its tonality that it literally invites you into her world.

This is pop-coated and has a great upbeat feel, bright soundscape, and just feels good to listen to.

You have hints and elements of Americana shining through, along with some classic folk influence as well. Acoustic guitars, some slide guitar work, and vintage keys that also give you hints as to how she loves classic, '80s, and '90s pop music and is able to infuse that with some of her songs.

Then we have songs like "It Gets Easier", which is a much more personal feeling. As the song unfolds, you get a sense for where she's coming from and how she's able to put herself out there without being afraid.

There is a bit of vulnerability throughout the course of the record, and this is one of those tracks that portrays that the most, in my opinion.

It's also a song that feels a little bit more stripped down, focusing more on just piano and vocals. This lets you pay attention to the lyrics a lot and has a unique way of pulling you into the song.

Again, this, to me, is more cinematic. Because of the emotion behind it and how she lets a lot out during the song, you end up connecting and understanding where she's coming from with her story, and something about it just sticks with you.

There are plenty of times when the artist blends some of these attributes together. "I Miss You" is a near-perfect example of how she takes the emotional pull and the cinematic feel, but also lends a hand to her natural pop sensibilities.

This is a song that obviously means a lot to the artist. Again, she's sharing a piece of herself, and she's doing it in a straightforward way, so you can tell that it's all coming from some incredibly authentic place.

This one has these beautiful strings that just feel orchestrated, pulling in that cinematic feel, pushing the emotional aspect, and her vocals are just beautifully done.

The vocals have this unique tone or texture to them that works so well with songs like this.

She's able to use that voice of hers as an instrument at times, it seems. This works very well throughout the entire record, but it's tracks like this one where it's really showcased in a particular way.

Her vocals flow and feel just natural. They have heart and passion in the performance, but it's the tone that really lets them feel so fluent with the rest of the music.

Again, there are strings throughout this track, so the way her vocal tone meshes with the string sections is beautiful

Throughout all of this, you still have a certain kind of brightness. There's a vibrancy throughout the entire track, and it still sits firmly under the pop umbrella.

All of this, while hearing honesty, has an impact.

So, you have these contemporary pop elements blending with Americana, folk, singer-songwriter, and elements of classic pop, all shining through at different parts of the record.

Now, this is an album you listen to all the way through, from start to finish.

These are like chapters of a diary. She's telling you stories about her life from particular perspectives. A lot of times it's from her perspective, of course, but other times she's telling the story from an outside point of view.

The way she expresses herself lyrically is quite intense at times. She doesn't hold much back, and she uses the music to set the mood for the lyrics.

Everything has a way of wrapping itself around you and just giving you a lot to chew on.

You have the bright, more pop tracks, you have the emotional, more stripped-down ballad songs, and plenty in between.

This is one of the more lush, full-bodied, and in-depth records I've heard in a long time, and this is all why you listen to the entire thing.

Some songs absolutely stand out as singles on their own two feet, like the ones I've already mentioned, but listening to the full album in one shot gives you the experience you were meant to have.

So, pop some headphones on and listen to this one because it certainly will let you feel something.

As always, remember where you heard it first.

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