The debut album, Down in Flames, by Glasgow Kiss is a burst of sweet dichotomy, altered reflections, foils, doppelgangers, and visions of the self through enchanting and fractured perspectives. First off, the lyrics are devastating portraits of loneliness, toxicity, grief and loss, desire and darkness. The contrast; however, is the rhythm guitar sound: a bold power-rock groove that launches us into the stratosphere, almost as if the band first tempts us to make love with our own misery, just to shake it off and rock ‘til we drop. In conjunction with the band’s overall theme of aesthetic duality, lead vocalist Charlotte Marlen Midtun puts on a clinic of tonal dynamics and emotional depth. From captivating soaring high range to powerful gritty belting to delicate passages in the mid-range, her remarkable range makes for a compelling emotional performance.
Moreover, and more specifically, one cannot listen to this record without appreciating the mix on the vocals. Charlotte is produced sonically to be right in our ear, deep in our minds straight down through the heart, and when harmonies are added, they are produced as elegant backdrop, a whisper, like lace. This technique would, at first, seem like the natural “go-to” for most projects, but the effect is quite new compared with the latest trend in the industry to bring the harmony tracks equal in volume and tonality, creating what some might refer to as a “choral wash.” Glasgow Kiss; however, do not “wash” or dilute a darned thing. They write our stories, raw and unedited.
All things considered, Glasgow Kiss offer us Down in Flames so we can relate to their sorrow and share in their joy. They prove to us that the two opposite viewpoints can live simultaneously, that both can be true, that both make a beautiful, delicate balance. We can confide in Glasgow Kiss. We come to them with our demons, and they give us a safe space. We include them in our victories and they high-five us when we all reach the top of the mountain.
Standout tracks on the album include “Those Wasted Years“, Forsaken“, “Down in Flames“, and “One Last Time”.
The album was produced by Glasgow Kiss, and mixed/mastered by Peter Michelsen (Rat City, Madelene, Byting) at The Norwegian Sound studio. Tracking by Dan Mikal Ultang at Secret Location Studio, w/ vocal tracking at Elephant Studios. Artwork for the album and singles was created by Frode Andreassen and Sveinung Sveen.
TRACKLIST:
- Destiny
- Down In Flames
- On Your Own
- The Wall
- One Last Time
- Forsaken
- Those Wasted Years
- Put the Blame On Me
