Third Attempt shows sparkling form on his latest long-player on Beatservice Records, crafting a typically refined selection on the gorgeously eclectic and majestically constructed 'Momentary Bliss'.
Since announcing his arrival in 2018, Torje Fagertun Spilde's music recorded under his now-familiar Third Attempt moniker has lit up the ever-reliable Beatservice roster. Combining an awe-inspiring production quality with an equally inspiring work rate, his work quickly confirmed his status as one of the Norwegian underground's most magnetic artists to have emerged over the last few years. True to his evolving-but-recognisable sound, his latest long-player seamlessly glides across musical textures, forging elements of lounge, ambient, disco, house, funk, hip hop and more into a brilliantly coherent collection.
The album opens with the dreamy swells and evocative vocals of the 'Precious Day On Earth' intro before quickly raising the energy with 'Soul, Body & Mind' - a funk-flecked track pitched somewhere in the alluring territory between glossy nu-disco and hazy trip-hop. Here, dreamy chords glide over rolling bass as hip-hop vocal licks enliven the rhythm, with airy synth motifs and ethereal female vocals entwined over crisp drum beats.
'Love Star' finds Spilde in typically inspired form, demonstrating his flair for sampling as he elegantly layers atmospheric vocal chops and dexterous musical refrains. Unfolding over a sprightly broken rhythm, summery chords are embellished by carefree horns and strings as hypnotic guitar and sparkling keys augment the feel-good groove.
'Keep Your Head Up' sees crafty hip-hop vocals and dexterous scratches dart over soothing keys, ethereal strings and atmospheric horns. Supported by thick bass and rolling breaks, the arrangement elegantly unfolds as soulful vocals add mystique to the groove, the smokey aesthetic equally suitable for at-home meditations and backroom jamming.
The dusty-fingered sample manipulation continues on 'Teach Me', where smokey vocals drift across waves of twinkling keys, funk guitars and impactful horns as tightly-spun rhythm and bass guide the tempo, while 'Turbo' continues the funk-flecked theme, with crisp drums driving mesmerising guitar licks, spacey synths and stirring chord progressions chords. with the neatly woven music pitched perfectly to sound equally striking in disco-loving bars, clubs, and living rooms.
Next, 'Secret' drifts into focus with luscious chords, hypnotic guitar riffs and robust bass augmented by soul-drenched vocal stabs and atmospheric synth work. Upping the disco energy, 'Our Show For The Night' subtly shifts the mood. Emotive horns soar over twinkling keys and thick bass notes before harmonic guitar licks add texture to the groove, the honeyed vocal samples beautifully augmenting the captivating orchestration as the dynamic arrangement unfolds.
'Keep Playin' rises in with lively broken drums providing a hyper-infectious rhythm. Atmospheric chords swirl over the tight beats as dexterous guitars and agile keys dance across the panorama, the chopped hip-hop vocal lines cutting through the musical mist before growling synth bass adds weight to the groove.
The floor-focused tempo continues via the soul-soothing flex of 'Hold Me', with seductive vocals bursting over gorgeously orchestrated instrumentation as feel-good guitar licks and stirring strings combine as psychedelic synths glisten over sampled textures and tight disco drums. Equally suited to balmy dancefloors and swaying back rooms, this is yet more elegant crossover material from Spilde.
Finally, the rolling breaks and sumptuous strings of 'Hard Times (Part Of The Journey)' propel jazzy keys, hazy guitar licks and evocative vocal samples to see the album home in suitably engaging style.
Unquestionably an artist with a diverse and powerfully vivid musical message to share with the world, Third Attempt demonstrates his boundless quality across this mesmerising album. 'Momentary Bliss' is set to further enhance his already formidable reputation in - and far beyond - the dance underground.
