Norway is a hotbed of talent with television shows such as Ragnarok and music covering every genre including the thriving heavy metal scene as well as softer pop sounds such as Resa who dropped an EP for our listening pleasure.

Opening with the electronic shoegaze music of Sunday, the first song in the EP, we could easily fall into the trap of thinking this is really chill listening until you check out the lyrics. Sunday is not church music although the melody could easily go there, it’s the lyrics that jump out and jolt the listener into paying attention to what Resa is singing about.

She is singing about being held down by her on again off again lover, which sounds more like being emotionally submissive as opposed to being physically restrained. Resa submits herself to being held down and submissive on Sunday but will not hold the door on Monday because Resa will not be pinned down because she is not ready to ‘subject in full’ even if it does feel conflicting. Resa gives us raw and emotional lyrics over a smooth bed of music on Sunday.

The next song shifts gears to a happy go lucky sounding song that brings a big old smile to my face, “You Need A Puppy”.  This song sounds like two fast and true friends sitting at a coffee bar and talking about the boyfriend of Resa’s friend. The advise that Resa gives her is that she doesn’t need a man because he will leave you and hurt you but a puppy will make you happier. You don’t need a man, “you need a puppy’. I love it, the EP is totally worth a listen even if it only had one song, this one.

The next two songs, ‘Love ain’t Free” and “Borrowed Time” deal with the theme of broken relationships and then we get to the title track of this EP which is also the closer. ‘Dumb and Numb’ is a song of resignation, we’re in a rut but it’s a good rut so let’s just keep going. This track features only a solo guitar but it works, it gives the song an almost lounge music or jazz club feel, chill but not chilly.

I confess that it took me more than one listens to really ‘get’ this EP but once it got to me I enjoyed it immensely. I’m glad I didn’t give up on this music, now I want to listen to it again, not because I have a review that I need to post, but because I enjoy the music. Thanks for another great Norwegian export Resa.