Summer love doesn’t always blossom out of the budding romanticism of spring; rather, sometimes it shrivels up even before the hottest months arrive. And if the minimalistic “Cracks” is any indication, the summer sun has burned Norwegian singer-songwriter Kine Hjeldnes.
With just her hands at the piano, Hjeldnes offers up a version of heartbreak often heard but rarely executed so well—thanks entirely to her potent, devastating voice. Seriously, her tone alone carries more weight than most singers can muster with lyric sheets in front of their faces.
Hjeldnes only has a 3-track EP to her name, but if she’s got any number of songs stashed away that are even half as captivating as “Cracks,” she better be prepared for the spotlight. Because you can bring in songwriters and you can bring in voice coaches, but you can’t teach a singer how to be haunting, majestic, and raw all at the same time. And “Cracks,” one beautiful dagger of a track, manages to do just that.
