EP Review: Hedda Mae - 'Introducing: Hedda Mae'
Hedda Mae’s ambitious debut EP ‘Introducing: Hedda Mae’ blends the greatness of feel-good pop, disco, funk, and synths to make us dance from the comfort of our living rooms!
In a time where we are unable to go out with friends and hit the dancefloor, it’s not surprising artists are choosing the “gloomy poetry vibe” to express the current uncertain state of the world, however, this is not the case of Hedda Mae. The Norwegian breakthrough artist has decided to drift away from the downhearted lane and instead brings us a collection of high-energy tracks that make us want to drop everything and just start dancing our sorrows away.
From the very beginning of the EP, Hedda prepares us for what’s to come. With a synth-heavy ‘Intro’ where she sings “Get up and move your feet”, she sets the mood for a very dynamic ride. Immediately after, she presents ‘Madness’, one of the best examples of post Dua Lipa disco revival. With an incredibly funky baseline and a catchy guitar riff she says “It’s the way you’re dancing when nobody is watching, every move will make me forget”. – A great hook and a clever subtle instruction for listeners.
She then moves onto ‘Too Good To Be True’, a 70’s inspired track that has a very familiar taste. The song not only brings us back in time but it also feels like a deconstructed version of several of the Jackson 5 hit singles. A combination of modern production with retro sprit, the track is bound to get stuck in people’s heads.
All of a sudden, the EP changes gears and presents a very summery tune in ‘What Do You Want From Me’. Following the line of great songwriters like Carly Rae Jepsen, Hedda takes us through a break-up-like mood with a very feel-good musical backdrop. With a quick Avril-Lavigne- moment in the middle where she sings “Don’t take this too personal, you hit rock bottom with a view”, the track is a reflection of 21st century romance.
Moving onto groovy ‘Pride Goes Before a Fall’, the head bops continue to follow the bass. With 80’s influence, Hedda sings about the very relatable feeling of never wanting to be the first one to give in. Finally, closing with a rather slower tune, ideal for a last dance at prom, the artist takes us by the hand as we are coming down from the hype. As she sings “Love so good, so great, higher than the ceiling. So hot it’s giving me a fever”, listeners can definitely relate after such a euphoric sensation generated by the previous tracks.
Being living proof that young artists still look to the past for inspiration and that genre revival is increasing more and more nowadays, ‘Introducing: Hedda Mae’ sweeps us off our feet. With production by Benjamin Giørtz, the project certainly is a great introduction to what seems to be a very bright and abundant future for Hedda.
Words by Nicole Otero