Emma Noren - “Garden”

California-based Emma Noren debuts on our blog with “Garden,” the first track from her upcoming EP.

This song opens with a charmingly lo-fi beat, but soon cuts to the delicate strums of an electric guitar. Noren’s vocal shortly follows, revealing her tight grasp on modern indie pop/rock. Within just a couple lines of lyrics, it is evident that she is able to hold her own among such artists as Lucy Dacus and Soccer Mommy, both of whom her voice is slightly reminiscent. At the end of the first verse, the arrangement expands into a full band production, which results in complete and total sonic satisfaction.

The steady, yet gentle rhythm of the track serves as a reminder that we, as a blog, do not need to rely so heavily upon indie folk and dream pop to satiate our thirst for introspective vibes. Noren has built “Garden” upon a fantastic use a metaphor, which ultimately unveils the idea that what you end up with in life is often much better than what you thought you wanted. All of this is delivered in such a way that it will resonate with fans of pop music, as well as those who prefer indie rock.

The highlight here, for us, is Noren’s sweet and gentle vocal, which she occasionally layers with resplendent harmonies. The song also lends the impression that it has been completely built with actual instruments, which is becoming exceedingly rare. The second half of the “Garden” beholds numerous changes and builds that would make it a great track to catch live, so we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for any tour details (hint, hint).

-HD