Aaron Espe
Through Frozen Forest
Nettwerk / Playground

Aaron Espe is a folk singer/songwriter based in Nashville, Tennessee, but he's originally hailing from small-town northern Minnesota. His music is of the low-toned kind, being quite warm and profound. Yet he's steadily reaching out to a wider audience. From being caught by The Editor's Picks at CD-Baby, picked up by BBC, and some of his songs have been used by MTV, Animal Planet, Volkswagen, plus other companies. The title track from this EP will be part of a series of 14 commercial films for the British supermarket chain Sainsbury's. This will probably give him a boost in the UK, where this EP was released exclusively last month.

Well, Espe's a busy and creative man. In late October he released the album Tennessee Sky - just five months after his last album Three! Anyway, Espe touch topics like 'faith, family and the complexities of pursuing the American Dream'. And, he's doing it with grace and class. Musically he's got a good pop ear. He sort of reminds me of a less energetic Liam Finn. He's also somehow related to Paul Simon, I sense. Imagine if Paul Simon didn't go explore African music (that said, one of the songs here - "Hope In A Maybe" - is a bit World-poppy). Of the five songs on this EP the ballad "Sleeper Must Awaken" is my biggest favourite, being a sheer and true beauty. Simply stunning. "Through Frozen Forest" is also nice (even though it's the most straightforward song on the EP), as well as "Hanging By A Thread".

Don't expect any rough edges. This is all pleasing stuff. Through Frozen Forest is nice listen, which makes me want to check out more of Espe's catalogue. This is folk-pop of elegance and style.

Copyright © 2012 Håvard Oppøyen