Ocean Highway – Furns

When you’re good at something, why change?
And I don’t mean just good. I mean really good.

You can improve and achieve a new standard without throwing away everything and starting again. Concerning music, why chase the mainstream pack in the trend-following machine monster of pop? Yes, niche artists/bands may draw smaller audiences, but the listeners who discover them find music that represents their unique tastes and identity. It’s like the difference between an Ikea poster, and a hand made print.

The Danish duo (Monika Faludi & Mathias Dahl Andreasen) Furns seem well aware of the benefits and have continued the route of enhancing their dreamy sound on – Ocean Highway.

As you can tell, the new album isn’t a million miles away from their previous work – minimalist, electronic and soulful, yet they have evolved. The prolific pair delivers nine new tracks of chilled, late-night lounge vibes.

The album feels like finding the only working air-conditioner in a heatwave. It provides such a chilled atmosphere you’ll get goosebumps.

Their melodic sound is retro enough to fit the TV series Stranger Things and modern enough not feel out of place with today’s era. Lyrical the songs aren’t built on catchy hooks and flow instead like poetry, often sweet, thoughtful and emotional.

The album’s mellow opening track – Plastic has a soulful essence and rhymic melody. The sentiments of the lyrics ‘All you’ve got is your soul, and your heart’ fit the track seamlessly.

Dreamy cuts like Nude, Safe with You Forever, and Museum are long enough to give them the time and space to be fully absorbed. Only one track Ocean Highway, which has the delicate chords of piano keys and the calming sound of the ocean underneath, has a run time under 3 mins. The tempo rises with the tracks Disco and Indian Summer. Both don’t induce sweat-inducing moves; however, they are groovy enough to swing your funky hips to. The album rounds off with the exquisite and beautifully romantic single – Fool.