EXCLUSIVE: Listen to Hilma Nikolaisen’s new track ‘Hermitage’

Norwegian singer Hilma Nikolaisen is set to release her debut album Puzzler on 2nd December via Fysisk Format.  Nikolaisen used to be bass guitarist in the shoegaze band Serena-Maneesh and was also the vocalist in Umbrella, but with her solo work she’s creating an evocative blend of psych, noisepop and 60’s melodies all topped off with her vocals, which are reminiscent of Nico.

Puzzle will see Nikolaisen reflecting on, honouring and celebrating the diversity and complexity of what it means to be human.  Although she’s been joined by a wealth of talented musicians, she wrote and arranged each song, and produced the record herself at the Malabar studio in Oslo.  As such, each of the tracks is filled with Nikolaisen’s personal touches.

We can exclusively reveal the latest track from Puzzler.  Called ‘Hermitage,’ the new track takes a traditional indie-pop formula and twists it around to push forward Nikolaisen’s ideas about human nature. The result is a guitar riff that’s somehow loose but rigid, intriguing lyrics and a few surprising flourishes just waiting to be discovered.  Hilma said of the track: “‘Hermitage’ is intended to be an honest and uncompromising piece with puzzled undertones.  Rigid, repeating groove, simplistic melodic guitars and insisting vocal lines attempt to express defiance and incongruent human survival strategies.”

She continued: “‘Hermitage’ was mixed in Berlin by Serena-Maneesh colleague, Ådne Meisfjord (120 days/ tropical contact high).  In addition to this basic radio edit of the song we made an eight minute album version, for those who may wish for an extended experience of this psychedelic runaway.”

Listen to ‘Hermitage’ exclusively below.