We haven’t had a post about a Faroese artist for a while; time to put that right.
Esmar’s song ‘Spekuleri’ translates, unsurprisingly, as ‘Speculation’.
There’s plenty of speculation here in the UK right now. Will Starmer finally realise his time is up? When will the next terrorist attack occur? Will the price of petrol ever go down? Will Arsenal or Manchester City win the Premier League?
None of these matters are of any concern to Esmar (Fagraberg). Sometimes I wish I lived on the Faroe Islands. They aren’t without their problems I’m sure but the folk out there seem more content and settled than we are.
Even so, ‘Spekuleri’ explores doubt, inner struggle and the search for peace. The lyrics are sparse but invite you to add colour and meaning to them.
He’s at a fork in the road and doesn’t know which path to take and what it will mean for him. He’s not sure where those paths lead anyway, isn’t certain of his own mind any longer and craves “you” to help him through his torment, presumably a lover.
That’s part is easy enough but the final verse complicates matters considerably:
“He has come with what is good/But people do not understand You
He is king in the lowly and the small/I must bend my knees”
That adds a mystic, quasi-religious tone to it and I’m minded of some Icelandic songs (with which I’m more familiar) with similar qualities.
Esmar says it has a “reflective Nordic feel” to it and I concur.
A tuneful slow burner, a lo-fi mélange of pop, rock and folk, it hangs musically on a catchy guitar riff which grows in direction and intensity and which is underpinned by some inventive bass playing by Benjamin Djurhuus.
Vocally, well I’m going to say something really weird here but Esmar reminds me of S10, the Dutch entrant in the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest and who should have won it.
And yes, that is a compliment. A big one, because her emotive voice is almost peerless.
(Continues after the Spotify Link).
The musicians:
Esmar Palli Fagraberg (Vocals, guitars)
Benjamin D. Djurhuus (bass, percussion)
Fríði Bjarkhamar (drums, percussion)
Kirstin Terjadóttir Fagraberg (backing vocals)
Find him/them on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/esmarfagraberg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/esmarfagraberg/
