Norwegian “alternative pop” artist Eth Eonel has been working his way through a large back catalog of compositions and demos, churning out a number of projects that are invariably experimental but always beautifully done.   

The latest, HELLO CAPSLOCK!, is a collection of songs grappling with the artist’s anxieties around his own mortality.   There is certainly an element of jazz to these tracks, and perhaps more than a hint of prog.  But there is also something inescapably theatrical about it all.

To our ear, this sounds like what you could expect if Trent Reznor was writing a Broadway musical about an acid trip.  This is most definitely meant as a compliment. 

Eonel creates these lush, unpredictable soundscapes entirely alone, making expeditious use of layered synths and painting everything with his smooth, inviting, wonderfully agile voice.

There’s a nice element in all this of Eonel’s personality, whether breaking the fourth wall, or giving us a window into his granular life, or just flashing some really endearing vulnerability.

Standout tracks include the wistful “O!”, “TELL!” with its breathtaking chorus, the delightfully playful “CATS!”, and the pensive meditation “LO’ER!” with its surprisingly strong vocal (recorded as the artist battled a flu).  But fans of experimental pop, electronic rock, and jazz will find something to love in each of these pieces.