D. Henry (Denmark) – Who says we can’t? (single)
D. Henry, who has an alter ego,Dan Østerby, who writes and performs in Danish, passed this way at the end of October with a chirpy, upbeat, engaging, and well-structured song called ‘Anything can happen.’
And it has, he’s back now with ‘Who says we can’t’, a song that proves writing catchy numbers like this is becoming a habit with him.
On this one he’s joined by drummer Asger Techau, who is from Kashmir. It’s a long way to come to Copenhagen to bash the kit but he makes a pretty good job of it.
Just like the previous song it is readily classifiable as easy listening, the sort you would expect to turn up on your local radio station in Aarhus in the morning coffee spot, or on station KXYZ as you’re 24 hours from Tulsa on Route 66 in Texas and asking some or other cowboy if he knows the way to Amarillo, but with a sense of purpose about it, as if there is much to be discovered on a subsequent hearing; a hidden meaning perhaps, or a twist in the lyrics you’d missed.
That’s pretty much all I can say, Dan doesn’t overload you with information on himself or the background to the song. Just chill, listen and enjoy.
For your delectation though we can offer you a video which documents the making of the song. And don’t you think he looks like a Danish footballer, although I can’t place the precise one. Christian Eriksen?
Find him on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danoesterbymusik
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dhenrymusic/
Lea Kampmann (Faroe Islands) – Telji upp í hundrað (Counting to 100) (single)
You know there is just so much talent either in the Faroe Islands, a community of only about 50,000 people, or out of there. We’ve covered a few of them – Eivør, Brimheim, Lena Anderssen (who has a new song coming up I hear), although we’ve managed to avoid Joe and the Shitboys so far.
In fact when I think of Faroese artists these days it is almost exclusively female singer-songwriters that come to mind, not because there is no-one else making music there but because they excel at it.
Lea (Kristinsdóttir) Kampmann usually doesn’t sing in her native language, mainly in English by the look of it and that was certainly the case on her debut album ‘If I ever made you cry, I’m sorry’ in 2022. Find some time to listen to the title track from that album, you won’t regret it. It should be playing out a Hollywood romantic film through the credits. Why have I never heard it before?
Probably because most British radio DJs haven’t heard of ‘The Fairie Islands’ in the first place, Or think they’re in the Caribbean or a Harry Potter novel. Someone needs to wise up, fast.
Anyway, she decided to take the plunge and sing in Faroese this year for the first time ever, even though “it feels very revealing to sing words that are so close to my heart.”
It was written in collaboration with Teitur (Lassen), a Faroese composer and it is the first single from her second album, which I guess will all be in Faroese. That will restrict the market somewhat but it is a language that ‘sings’ enchantingly.
The song revolves around the loss of a loved one and the struggle with grief, depicting the impossible task of trying to distract oneself from sorrow. However hard you try to escape it, nothing can drown the feeling of loss.
“How am I supposed to fall asleep, when I don’t remember what dreaming is like?” she laments.
Then, “Heard someone say/ that every ending is a new beginning/and something about open doors/I told him to be quiet.”
There is such similarity there with the heart-tugging sentiments on Lissie’s ‘Sun keeps risin’ ‘ – “and I still think of you, everyday, in a better place/…that’s what they say.” The same quality.
I’m glad to have found a lyrics translation on her Facebook page otherwise I would have been struggling to put it mildly and I would respectfully suggest that if anyone isn’t singing in English they should make sure they have one, on Spotify, YouTube or wherever as well. That isn’t arrogance; it will ensure that English-only speakers pay attention. They don’t need much incentive not to.
Putting that aside it is beautifully crafted and delivered song and just perfect for this new ‘Songs for the end of the day’ section. Take it with your hot chocolate and have pleasant dreams even if Lea can’t.
Find her on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leakampmannmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leakampmann/
