Bjartmar is an Icelandic experimental producer that has crafted an electronic pop tune that is reminiscent of nineties groups like Massive Attack as well as older legends like David Bowie. The result is a unique blend of ballad and dark electronic that ends up working really well.
The song begins with an eerie synth pad followed by a distorted, industrial snare that right away sets the stage for the gritty trip-hop, electronic sound that blew up in the 90s in Europe. With Bjartmar’s vocals, there is a cool juxtaposition of a singer-songwriter vocal approach to the darker instrumental bed. Intimate lyrics are sung over as the different synth melodies enter in and out through the composition. The song’s dynamic range really excels with the various sections of the songs, offering different colors to its writing.
The drums have a four-on-the-floor element while also never overstaying its performance. “Catching Fire” also has different rhythms for Bjartmar to sing along too, allowing different types of deliveries and phrases for the singing. There are also neat choices with the snare hits, lending to the niche genres of electronic music. The song concludes at just a little over three minutes, allowing the song to feel lean and never come off as redundant.
Bjartmar has created a love song that is both refreshing in its originality and also creative in its genre blending approach to a love ballad. The dark tone really elevates it to a memorable tune, rather than another forgotten love record. “Catching Fire” is a strong tune by the Icelandic artist/producer and we look forward to the other worlds of sounds he will deliver in the future.
Written by Jon Kagan
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