Ida Maria – Fortress 'Round My Heart
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I didn’t really know what to expect from Ida Maria, having only really heard ‘I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked’; which is itself a quirky slice of indie pop, but one that never really stuck in my head or impressed me all that much.
Luckily, the album improves on the base that song creates. Taken as a whole, it’s a good album, even for someone not that well tuned to your typical indie fare, and every track here impresses in it’s own little way. Opener (and recent single) ‘Oh My God’ is much more upbeat than I’d really expected from the album. A stomping beat propels it along, with strained vocals and quick guitars, it sets the mood perfectly for the rest of the album. In fact, a sense of joy flows through the whole thing; it’s a happy and fun-sounding collection of songs, even when the lyrics don’t exactly represent that sentiment.
The sound is purposefully unpolished to a certain degree, and a smooth production wouldn’t really suit the album. It’s a personality all of Ida’s own, an imprint that marks every note on the album and helps the music stand out above the crowd. Occasionally the vocals veer off in their own direction; shouting, shrieking, singing, and everything in between. ‘Queen Of The World’ however, plays it quite straight, and delivers a solid indie-rock track, that’s hard to dislike and even harder to get out of your head when it’s done.
‘Leave Me, Let Me Go’ is a fragile track, with equally fragile vocals draped over the plodding backbone of drums and slight guitar. Occasionally it threatens to go huge, before being dragged back to almost nothing. It’s a haunting, beautiful song and shows off Ida’s delicate voice well.
After the excitement of single ‘I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked’ and the similarly upbeat track ‘Louie’, the pace of the album slows slightly and never really returns. This is no bad thing, however, as the final three songs are the perfect end to the album. Soft and powerful when they need to be, the emphasis is placed on the lyrics and they don’t disappoint. Throughout the whole album they remain fresh and new, never falling into cliché.
It isn’t difficult to imagine Ida Maria being ‘the next big thing’, even though I’m sure there are a legion of fans who would love to keep her as their own little secret – such is the way of the indie fan. The personality of the music and it’s singer is enough to get by, and armed with a multitude of catchy, poppy-indie rock tunes it’s easy to recommend. Get on board before it’s too late.
Rating: 
