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The past couple of years have been a whirlwind for Hein Cooper. In 2015 he released his debut self titled EP, and now come March he is about to release his 10 track album The Art of Escape. After giving it a few listens, we can say you’re all in for a treat.
Hein Cooper’s debut full length The Art Of Escape does not disappoint. When it comes to matters of the heart, both good and bad, he’s the man to listen to.
All through his LP Cooper explores three themes that you’d be hard pressed to separate; love, lust and heartbreak. His fearlessness and eloquence pays off immensely with every song on the album. Most tracks rest on the foundation of soft percussion and acoustic guitars. There is no need for a cacophony of instruments to get his point across. All Cooper needs is his guitar and his heavenly vocal chords.
Cooper was lucky enough to record and produce his album in Montreal, Canada with producer Marcus Paquin who has produced albums for Arcade Fire and The National. Cooper isn’t one to define his music to one genre as he continues to experiment with his sound ranging from indie pop to folk, making him a perfect fit for Paquin.
The album begins with The Art of Escape and Rusty. Both tracks made the jump from his debut EP, the slow and thoughtful acoustic numbers still working their magic. The Art of Escape is (funnily enough) all about getting away from it all while Rusty is about his inability to accept the state of the world as a cold, dark place. Take a listen to Overflow, an energetic song where a simple tune of a whistle is a strong backbone for a song all about lust.
Meanwhile All My Desires is very indie-pop, one could definitely compare it to a San Cisco number. It’s fun, happy and one hundred percent dance worthy. There is no doubt that Cooper is a talented songwriter. Just listen to Curse My Life where he solemnly sings about the sinking feeling of heartbreak and the feeling of denial that comes with it; “I’m reaching, I’m vacant / I don’t know myself / I don’t know what it feels like to have my heart broken first.” This levity balances out the lighter moments well, and it’s here where Cooper is at his strongest.
All in all for a first LP this one is a cracker. It’s an emotional roller-coaster filled with personal anecdotes and silky smooth licks Bon Iver would be proud of. He has a number of tour dates coming up in the next couple of months so check out his socials for the dates. The first gig is on February 18 at Byron Bay Brewery. The Art of Escape will be out on March 4 through Indica Records.
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