Moving from Denmark to the easter part of Germany…the risk-taking musical duo Linebug has found inspiration well in Zeitz in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany…and they take us through a journey of exploration, both internally into our souls and externally into the world around us.
Mesmerizing vocals coupled with heartfelt music is what Linebug is offering…and it’s an offer no one can refuse…
The dreamy nature of the vocals, with its many deep layers and the musical production, takes us onboard the vessel that will take us through highs and lows and give us an adventure of exploration that won’t be forgotten from our souls anytime soon…or maybe ever.
That vessel is their latest album “Fast Changing Landscapes”…and what a journey we’ll have…
Let’s jump right away into our story…starting with the first track, the album title track “Fast Changing Lanes”…
This song acts as our preparation stage for this journey and getting us introduced to our heroes of the story… singer-songwriter Line Bøgh and the painter and digital artist Christian Gundtoft.
They present to us themselves through a track that only has a piano and vocals…a fit intro to the album and a brilliant first impression.
“Sideways” is a slightly upbeat track with many musical elements to it…strings, percussion, piano, layers of harmonious vocals…it has indie charm oozing from it, it’s a folkloric story that evolves the more we go into it…with brass sections jumping in the perfect moments to fluctuate our emotional energies.
“Skyline” is a song straight out of Hollywood movies…cinematic, rich, full, yet minimal…it’s difficult to describe…with a mystical tone to it.
…going further into the album we find ourselves deeper in the journey…and we’re at “”Beijing”.
A folkloric melodic and emotional song that showcases how steady and masterful Linebug is at what they do.
“Winter Winds” is once again like the first track, a piano and vocals-only song…acting maybe like an intermission in the exact middle of the album…a very welcome change of pace, and a stunning piece.
…after that, we go into “May The Flowers Grow” , a hopeful and inspiring song with a more traditional beat section that can capture the hearts of the more modern audiences…
…at this point, I’m pretty sure about Linebug being able to make the most out of minimal arrangements…less is more. Perfectly balanced.
“I Picture It With You” is once again a song that would fit perfectly in a Hollywood film…or musical maybe? The structure might make it more reminiscent of a musical…
…and right after that moment with the last song, we move into “If I Had A Camera”…and I thought to myself…does it have any kind of hidden relation with the previous song “I Picture It With You”? Maybe it’s the same journey…maybe it’s related…
This song is filled with scale changes that hit deep, very emotional and felt right in the heart…with a simple arrangement of a string section, piano, percussion and vocals…this hits a homerun.
The last track of the album is “Mermaid”…and as the name might suggest, its mystical, magical and you won’t believe your ears when you hear it…it’s out of this world…it’s music from another dimension…this time around it’s just vocals and…no, not a piano, but actually a harp.
Dreamy…and the vocal layers are impeccable.
“Fast Changing Lanes” is a brilliant album and would appeal to any music lover in general…yes, it has some experimental approaches and ideas, but that doesn’t take away from the ease of listening to this album…actually, the composition and arrangement with the vocals will capture any heart that crosses its path.
I can’t recommend this album enough…if you like music, you have to experience this journey…press the big green play button….close your eyes…and float away…
Linebug, you are absolutely amazing, can’t get enough of your music and can’t wait to see what you have in store for us in the future…I’m amazed at the level of talent and craftsmanship you have.
We wish you all the best, ‘cause you deserve the absolute best.
Cheers!