Mattias Kolstrup is apparently
a household name in his native Denmark, after fronting platinum sellers Dúné over
the last decade or so. Can’t say I’d previously heard of him, but this debut
record by his new band Liberty has the potential to make
Kolstrup a household name much further afield. Doubling down on the ‘pop’ half
of Dúné‘s indie-pop approach, Liberty make
irrepressibly catchy 80s influenced guitar pop. This is an album that gets
right to the point: 8 songs in 23 minutes (i.e. bordering on EP territory).
Kolstrup has a beautiful, distinctive voice, and his songs are all extremely
easy to love. Haven’t Felt this Great Since 1988 is a
feel-good, hook heavy and unselfconscious record. It has been an important
antithesis to the trend towards the gloomier side of music I’ve been drawn to
in a year that’s been all too full of gloom. Smile inducing.