EP REVIEW: heddah – Echoes of myself

‘…Paying clear homage to pop culture of the past whilst keeping her work feeling fresh, relevant, and distinctive…’

A country that wholly deserves to be considered along the likes of England, Sweden, Germany and Spain as musical powerhouses of Europe is undoubtedly Norway; certainly, they’re known for their metal, but their burgeoning pop scene is absolutely deserved of discussion. Joining these ranks is Oslo based songwriter heddah, who has been exploring femininity and strength through her synth-pop sounds since 2023. Last month saw the artist releasing her debut EP, ‘Echoes of myself’.

What heddah offers on this project is a display of versatility that perfectly introduces you to her world; a cohesive foundation of intimate synth pop sprawls outwards an takes on shades of dance-pop, ambient soundscapes, and even some loose ideas from arena rock. ‘Fall & Rise‘ lives up to its name sake, building up and crashing back down with stirring verses and bold choruses, underpinned by a weighty, swaggering percussion that booms like thunderclaps. ‘Real love‘ takes things in a far more minimalist direction, with a soundscape that harkens back to the club dance-floors of 00’s UK; a perfect balance of sultry and classy, hypnotic dance beats entrance the listener and vocals orchestrated to be undeniably, wickedly catchy.

Jumping forwards a few years in the canon of dance-pop, and we find the sounds that inhabit the opening number of this EP, ‘Just by looking‘. Uplifting beats pulse with a supercharged infectiousness, thumping away beneath a shimmering, maximalist wall of synths. Within the eye of this bubblegum storm sits heddah herself, a bolt of free-spirited sunshine that elevates the track into a true summer anthem. Conversely, the closing number sees heddah constructing a blissful instrumental outro that pulls a delightful amount of influence from ambient soundscapes.

Between its perfect production, wonderful sense of focus, and superb balance of cohesiveness and variety, what heddah has crafted on ‘Echoes of myself‘ carries all of the hallmarks of a pop-star in waiting. Paying clear homage to pop culture of the past whilst keeping her work feeling fresh, relevant, and distinctive, she brings a sense of optimism that has been sorely lacking within pop’s moody modern modern era, without once feeling saccharine or false, and that is certain to capture the hearts of listeners that come across her. A welcome addition to your summer listening rotation, and absolutely essential for any British summer playlist worth its beer garden.

RATING: 79/100

For Fans Of: Charli XCX, Carly Rae Jepsen, Martin Solveig, Zara Larsson, Bebe Rexha, Robyn

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